Bump in the Night
by NCISVU
Summary: Team Gibbs is battered and broken and being hunted by a nameless, faceless madman. Tony!whump. Gibbs!whump. McGee!whump (although it's not focused on a whole lot). Suspense—maybe. Case fic. Lots of Gibbs and Tony leading to eventual Tibbs. See additional author's notes inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Although there will be healthy doses of all the characters (with Bishop in the female agent role), this story will mainly revolve around Gibbs and Tony and there will most likely be long stretches of the story where I only write about them, especially as the story progresses. Also, it will eventually be Tibbs slash and quite possibly (hopefully) smut.**  
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* * *

**Bump in the Night**

**Chapter One: Not So Safe House. Not So Undercover. **

"_Papa Gibbs! Papa Gibbs! You're here!" The 4 year old, brown haired, blue eyed little boy bounded over to Gibbs, leaping into the Special Agent's arms with full faith he would be caught. Gibbs lifted the small child up and flew him through the air before settling him on his hip. _

"_What's up, big man?" he asked tousling the boy's shaggy hair. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Gibbs eyed Tony and Ellie accusatorily. Both looked completely drained of all energy as they sat propped up against each other on the couch in the safe house._

"_That kid has more energy than Tony," Bishop said in disbelief. _

"_Wow," Tim said as he entered the living room with the night surveillance equipment from the car, "I didn't think that was even possible." _

"_That's because Nathan is way cooler than both of you," Tony teased, suddenly getting another burst of energy. "He's Nate the Great!"_

_Nathan wiggled out of Gibbs' arms and chased Tony around the couch, roaring at him with his arms in the air._

"_Okay, okay," Gibbs said, snatching Nathan back into his arms as the little boy raced past him, "it's 2100. Time to settle down and start thinking about bed. DiNozzo, Bishop, you're relieved. McGee and I will take the night shift."_

"_Thank you, Boss," Tony said._

"_Good luck getting the kid to sleep," Ellie added. "Here's his snack." _

_Gibbs took the Trix yogurt from Bishop and sat down in the corner of the couch with Nathan on his lap. "Winter storm's scheduled to hit overnight," he told his agents. "Roads are supposed to be bad by morning. We'll bring Nathan to NCIS with us and go from there." _

_Tony smiled at Gibbs' unorthodox way of showing his concern. He might never say it but he showed it in other ways and Tony liked it better like that. "See you in the morning, Boss, McGeek." He held his hand out for a high five from Nathan. "Later, dude."_

"_Later, dude," Nathan mimicked, high fiving Tony._

_Bishop patted the top of Nathan's head, said her goodbyes then followed Tony out the door, leaving Gibbs and Tim alone in the safe house with Nathan._

_With the excitement over for the moment, Tim unzipped the bag he'd brought in with him and pulled out the night vision scope. He tilted the window shades slightly and peered out into the darkness while Gibbs resettled Nathan on his lap and fed him the rest of the yogurt. When Nathan was finished eating, Gibbs helped him brush his teeth and waited while he used the bathroom for the last time before bed. He pulled the book Abby had sent along from Tim's bag and settled back onto the couch to read to Nathan until he fell asleep._

_Gibbs wasn't very far into the story when Nathan's eyelids started getting heavy and his head started bobbing back and forth. The agent guided the little boy's head to his chest as he read and rested his hand on the side of Nathan's face, rubbing slow, soothing circles on his temple. The more he read, the heavier Nathan got as he slowly lost his battle with sleep before finally giving up the fight and letting sleep pull him under. _

_All was peaceful as Gibbs whispered the last sentence of the book but the sound of squealing tires interrupted the quiet of the night and every protection detail's worst nightmare started playing out in an instant, leaving the agents no time to react. The last thing Gibbs heard before gunshots pelted the front of the house was Tim calling his name._

"_Boss! Boss!"_

"Boss. Boss."

Gibbs rolled his head from side to side as his dream faded and reality took over. He could hear a familiar voice calling his name through the haze his brain seemed to have settled into but everything was so fuzzy he couldn't put a name or a face with the voice. At the moment he was more concerned with the hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake and sending sharp, shooting pains throughout his entire upper body. He would've given anything for it to stop but he couldn't find his words or the energy to grab onto the hand and make that happen.

"Boss, wake up. You're dreaming."

Gibbs blinked his eyes a couple times until the room around him stopped spinning and came into focus. He looked around cautiously and found himself in his basement, lying on a piece of plywood under the shell of his boat with Tony sitting next to him. The look of concern on Tony's face had him curious but at that moment he hurt too bad to care. He was just happy Tony's hand had moved away from his shoulder, even if the man was now wiping away the sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Hey," Tony said once their eyes met and he could see that Gibbs had come out of the daze he'd been in, "the hospital said you left against medical advice. We were worried."

The hospital. The gunshots. Ambulances. Sirens.

Suddenly reality hit him in the face like a ton of bricks; maybe even worse than that.

He remembered leaving the hospital against doctor's orders, knowing it had been stupid but not caring. He couldn't bear to spend one more moment there. He remembered the monitors in Nathan's room going silent not long after they'd arrived in the ambulance and the doctor stating the little boy's time of death for the record; the reality of the situation being that the little boy had most likely died as soon as the bullets had started flying but the first responders had worked feverishly to bring him back.

On a different floor in the same hospital, Tim was listed in critical condition as he underwent emergency surgery. The reality of his situation was quite possibly just as dire as Nathan's. The last words the doctors had said before wheeling him away echoed in Gibbs' head. 'He may or may not make it off the table.'

So, yes, Gibbs had left. The last thing he'd wanted was doctors and nurses poking and prodding at him when he had a dead four year old and an agent possibly not far behind.

"Boss?" Tony said again.

"What?" Gibbs grunted. Despite the pain he knew it would cause, Gibbs fought through the hurt and just barely managed to lift himself into a sitting position. Once he was upright, he sucked in a deep breath, trying desperately to push the discomfort away and keep from crying out at the tearing sensation ripping through his chest. The simple movement had hurt more than he'd thought it would. Beads of sweat poured down his face and burned his eyes but he was afraid to lift his arms and wipe it away, knowing it would only cause more pain.

"Boss, you're bleedi—you're a bloody mess—you're—you're—you like hell," Tony stuttered as he looked the man over. He'd seen Gibbs banged up before. He'd seen him return to work the day after taking a bullet more than once. He'd returned the day after getting hit by a car, not letting the fact that his arm was in a sling slow him down in the least. The man had even looked better after being blown up by Pinpin Pula on the Turkish ship.

Tony lifted his hand to Gibbs' shirt to inspect the deep crimson stain that was slowly spreading across his polo but Gibbs immediately grabbed onto his wrist and stopped him.

The lead agent took a moment to calm his breathing before speaking. "That's not my blood," he lied. "It's transfer from Nathan or McGee." He struggled to keep his tone even as he spoke, hoping to hide just how much pain he was in. He was fully aware that Tony knew he was lying but could only hope his Second would let him get away with it this time. He loosened his grip on Tony's wrist before releasing it completely, studying Tony as Tony studied him.

"Let me take you back to the hospital, Boss," Tony said half authoritatively, half begging. "The doctor said you wouldn't even let her look at you."

"I don't need a hospital," Gibbs insisted.

"Then I'm gonna have to get Ducky outta bed," Tony said firmly. He knew Gibbs felt like shit but if this was how he wanted to play it, then this was how they would play it. "Those are your two choices."

Gibbs muttered and growled in frustration as he leaned heavily against the frame of the boat and closed his eyes, hoping Tony would get the hint and just go away. All he really wanted was for everyone to leave him alone until he could sleep off some of the pain. Regaining his strength so he could go catch the bad guy who'd attacked his team and the stolen the young life he'd been tasked with protecting was the only thing on his mind.

"Alright," Tony said stubbornly, "have it your way." He stood and marched to the stairs, making his disapproval clear.

Gibbs listened as Tony stomped up the stairs and waited for the basement door to all but slam before slowly laying down on the hard plywood once again. The low groan turned into a loud pained cry as his body protested every move he made. Once he was lying flat, he closed his eyes and laid perfectly still, waiting for the pain to subside and the nightmares to return.

* * *

Leon Vance backed his SUV out of his driveway and pointed it in the direction of Washington General Hospital. The predicted snow storm had just reached DC making the drive a scenic one, especially after the mild winter they'd had, but Leon paid no attention to the large, fluffy flakes that would soon create hazards of all kinds for the city. There were other things on his mind.

Moments earlier, he'd been at home, sitting in his favorite chair with slippers on his feet, a robe covering his body and a cup of steaming cappuccino in his hand; the children safely tucked away in neighboring rooms. Now he had a dead four year old in autopsy, Tim hanging on for dear life and Gibbs—quite possibly the most stubborn of them all—at home, refusing treatment. He needed to figure out what in the hell had happened before his superiors caught wind of the situation and started demanding answers from him.

The salt sprinkled across the nearly empty hospital parking lot sparkled under the streetlights. Two pick-up trucks with snowplows on the front and salt spreaders on the back raced through the lot throwing salt in their wake, trying to get a head start on what the local meteorologists had promised would be a devilish storm.

Leon chose a spot near the front in an already salted part of the lot, parked his SUV and hurried into the hospital. If Gibbs was hurt badly enough that he was hiding out at home, licking his wounds in private instead of out searching for a child killer, Leon knew it would be up to him to temporarily make decisions for the team. Depending on what state Tony was in, he could hand the reigns over to him but that wasn't a decision to be made hastily.

After a short stop at the reception desk in the ER and a quick ride on the elevator, Leon found himself in the fifth floor waiting room with Ellie Bishop. "Sit rep," he said, immediately cringing at his harsh tone. The pressures of his job sometimes made it difficult to remember he was dealing with intense human emotions and teams that loved each other like family.

"Well," Ellie replied shortly, "Nathan—dead. McGee—nearly dead. And Gibbs. Um, I don't know about Gibbs but based on some of the stories I've heard about him, I'm guessing he'll be just fine."

Leon frowned at the snarky response he'd gotten from his newest NCIS agent. "Mrs. Bishop," he said, softening his tone and hoping the sympathetic smile on his face conveyed the compassion he was truly feeling for her situation.

"Sorry," Ellie said. "The safe house was compromised somehow," she reported. "Nathan's dead. McGee's in surgery with bullets and shards of glass and shrapnel all over his body and Gibbs is at home refusing treatment. Tony went to get him but he won't come back to the hospital so he called Ducky."

"Good," Leon said. "What about Mr. Palmer and Ms. Sciuto?"

"Tony didn't wanna tell 'em news like this over the phone," Ellie answered, "especially Abby. He said he'd take care of it after he got Gibbs squared away."

Leon nodded, approving of the way Tony was handling the situation so far. "Do we know who did this?"

"Maybe Nathan's dad?" Ellie replied with a shrug. "I mean, he's a four year old kid. There can't be a long list of people who'd want him dead." They were protecting the kid from his abusive father. The case had landed in their laps after the disgraced Marine had taken his son on a drug run that had ended in the murder of a local gangbanger.

"What about our gangbangers?" Leon asked.

"It doesn't make sense. Nathan didn't witness them committing a crime. It was his dad that killed someone so why would the gangbangers want him dead?"

"Revenge. Nathan's dad killed one of them."

Ellie frowned. "That's just, that's so wrong. He's only four years old."

"An investigator always considers all the possibilities, Agent Bishop," Leon said. "Criminals don't play by any rules. How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay," Ellie answered. "Not the first time I've been in this situation and I'm sure it won't be the last. I can handle it."

It was clear Bishop was trying to hide how bothered she was by the situation but Leon didn't see the need for any immediate concern and there were protocols in place to prevent agents from getting lost in their heads. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her then moved on. "And Tony?"

"He's handling it too, Sir. I think he's kind of on autopilot right now."

"Good. I'm gonna let him handle Gibbs for the time being but I would like to talk to him the next time he calls you with an update." Leon knew Tony was the best equipped of all of them to deal with Gibbs in situations like their current one. Trying to butt in would only cause unneeded animosity and most likely an argument that would quickly get out of hand.

"Of course, Sir." Ellie watched as the director removed his overcoat and folded it neatly over one chair before settling into the one directly across from her. Her eyes tracked left and then right before landing back on her boss again and mouthing 'okay'. She hadn't been expecting the man to stay and had never experienced a silence quite so awkward.

"Problem?" Leon asked.

Ellie smiled and shook her head. "Nope."

Leon knew he needed to get to the office, touch base with Balboa's team and make sure the investigation was moving forward in a professional and organized manner but that could wait a little while. Balboa's team would still be at the crime scene and he was hoping for an update on McGee's condition and maybe even Gibbs' because he knew SECNAV would want to know when she called. He grabbed a magazine from the table next to him and settled in for a long wait.

* * *

Tony sat on the edge of Gibbs' favorite chair, leaned slightly forward with his elbows resting on his knees and his hands folded together in front of him, frantically rocking himself back and forth as he watched over Gibbs and thought about Tim lying helplessly in a hospital bed. He'd somehow managed to get Gibbs up the stairs and over to the couch while he waited for Ducky to arrive but the man was so out of it that Tony doubted he even knew he'd been moved.

Now he was alone with his thoughts in the silence of the dimly lit room, his anger growing with each passing second. He was desperate to hit the streets and track down the person responsible for the attack. He wanted nothing more than to make them sorry they were ever born but first he had to make sure the team was taken care of. Tim was in good hands at the hospital with Bishop and the medical personnel. There was nothing any of them could do to help Nathan anymore and Ducky was Gibbs' best bet.

He breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he heard the distinctive sound of Ducky's old Morgan out front. He knew it hadn't been very long in real time but with everything that had happened that night and everything he felt he needed to accomplish, time felt like it was standing still while the world raced on.

"Where is he, Anthony?" Ducky asked, all business as he entered the house.

Tony flipped the living room light on and pointed at the couch.

"Oh dear God, Jethro," Ducky scolded graciously when he saw the state his longtime friend was in. Gibbs' hair was wet and matted with sweat, his face sporting a few nicks and bruises and his shirt was soaked through with a mixture of sweat and blood. He looked like he'd just returned home from war.

"Stubborn bastard wouldn't even let the doctors look at him," Tony grumped. The stress and pressure of the situation was really starting to get to him. "I don't know how he managed to get himself home without killing himself and everyone else on the road."

"I took a cab, DiNozzo," Gibbs muttered. He'd been taken by ambulance to the hospital. The car was still at the safe house and now peppered with bullet holes.

"You're alive," Tony snarked.

"Calm down, Anthony," Ducky advised, patting his shoulder. "I have no doubt that if you were in Jethro's position, I'd be making the house call to your condo."

Tony narrowed his eyes at the doctor, fully intending on objecting but nodded his head in agreement instead. Ducky smiled at him as he opened his medical bag and put it within arm's reach on the coffee table.

"Let's have a look at you, Jethro," Ducky said. "Do you think you can sit up long enough to get your shirt off or shall I cut it?"

"'m perfectly capable of taking my shirt off, Duck," Gibbs muttered stubbornly. He took a moment to gather his strength before reaching out and grabbing onto Tony's hand which had appeared in front of him and pulling himself up. As hard as he tried, he couldn't stop the growl of pain that came from deep inside him or stop the sweat from pouring off his brow. The telltale signs in addition to his horribly contorted facial expression gave away everything he'd been working so hard to hide.

Once Gibbs was upright, he paused to catch his breath and regain his bearings. The change in position had the room spinning again and the pressure on his midsection was almost unbearable.

"Boss?" Tony said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I need a minute."

"Boss, _please _let me help you," Tony pleaded. "There's no shame in it. Nobody even has to know." He sat down on the coffee table, directly in front of Gibbs, his eyes pleading with the man. "I'm really worried about you. Now's not the time to go all Gary Cooper on us."

Gibbs contemplated the offer for a moment before nodding. "Okay, but I'm not gonna let Ducky take the scissors to my shirt." He knew the shirt was going to end up in the trash anyways but it was the principal of the matter.

Tony let out a quiet laugh for the first time that night. "We'll take it real slow," he said, not noticing Ducky slipping out of the room.

Tony took a moment to assess his boss's condition, noting possible sore spots and trying to figure out the best way to get the man's shirt off with the least amount of movement. The first problem was his shirt was tucked in and Tony knew if he started tugging and jerking that would only cause more discomfort.

"Sorry, Boss," he mumbled as he undid Gibbs' belt, popped the button on his pants and lowered the zipper. At least Gibbs was the kind of guy that wore underwear.

He carefully untucked the polo shirt and eased it up Gibbs' long torso and over his head before pulling it off his arms. The shirt was loose enough Gibbs didn't have to do much more than just sit there and lift his arms slightly but the undershirt would be a different story.

"Half way there," Tony said comfortingly. He found the bottom of Gibbs' undershirt and gently lifted it, his face tightening in sympathetic pain. "Shit, Boss," he whispered as he revealed the man's bruised and bloodied abdomen.

Gibbs couldn't hold back the groan as he lifted his arms enough Tony could get the shirt off. At least he'd saved some small part of his dignity by not having Ducky cut him out of his clothes. "Is it bad?" he asked. He didn't really want to move enough to look down at his body but the look on Tony's face told him all he needed to know.

"There's a lot of blood," Tony answered, briefly looking the man over before helping him lie back down on the couch. He eased Gibbs' underwear down slightly which had the man grabbing for his wrist again. "There's a tiny shard of glass, Boss," he said. "It's not big enough or deep enough to cause any problems. Do you want me to pull it out or let Ducky?"

"You can," Gibbs answered.

With Gibbs' hand still wrapped around his wrist, Tony once again eased the elastic band of his boss's boxer briefs down slightly and carefully removed the small piece of glass before it could cause any more problems. He carefully fingered a second cut less than inch away to make sure there was no glass in it before sitting back.

"Tell me the truth before Ducky gets back," Tony said. "How are your legs? Do we need to get you out of your pants?"

"My legs are fine."

Tony looked at the man skeptically before carefully running his hands over Gibbs' legs in search of sore spots. When the man flinched and Tony felt something wet beneath his fingertips he looked back up at Gibbs. "I'm sorry but they're coming off, Boss."

Tony unlaced Gibbs' boots enough he could effortlessly slip them off his feet and he immediately noticed the immense swelling in his ankle and wondered how the man had managed to walk at all. Gibbs held onto the top of his underwear and Tony slipped a hand under his lower back and the two worked together to get his loose fitting jeans over his hips so Tony could pull them down his legs and carefully remove them. His legs looked much better than his upper body but there were a few cuts and a particular gash on his thigh that had Tony a little concerned.

"How would you like to be my assistant in Mr. Palmer's absence, Tony?" Ducky asked as he stepped into the room with a washcloth and a large bowl of warm water.

"Just tell me what to do," Tony replied, rolling his sleeves up.

Ducky put the bowl on the coffee table next to Tony, wrung out the washcloth and handed it to him. While Tony busied himself with carefully washing away the sweat and blood from Gibbs' body, Ducky listened to his heart, measured his blood pressure and took his temperature. Once Tony was finished cleaning the man up, the extent of his injuries became clear causing Ducky to knit his eyebrows in concern.

"Jethro, this is a gunshot wound and this is a graze," Ducky said, carefully inspecting his left bicep. The bullet hole was in the inner part of his bicep, very close to his armpit and the graze was on the outer part, near his shoulder.

"The bullet that went through Nathan's chest passed through my arm after killing him," Gibbs explained. "There were bullets flying everywhere."

Ducky looked at the back of Gibbs' arm, ignoring the moan of pain when he eased it away from the man's body, and was relieved to find the exit wound. "You really should go back to the hospital for x-rays, Jethro."

"I'm not going anywhere, Duck. My arm's not broken, I'm fine."

Ducky shook his head disapprovingly and rolled his eyes before turning his attention to Gibbs' face. There were a few cuts and nicks on his cheeks and forehead and a bruise close to his eye but nothing that concerned the doctor. His chest and abdomen was a different story. There were deep, dark bruises on his left shoulder and covering his right clavicle, near his left nipple and over his ribcage on the left side of his body. The right side of his body was dotted with nicks and cuts and a large gash that would definitely need stitches on his upper chest.

"You were holding Nathan in your left arm," Ducky pointed out quietly.

Gibbs opened his eyes and looked up at the doctor. "Yeah," he answered, "but it didn't do any good. I think he was hit by one of the first shots."

Gibbs' arms covered in cuts and bruises confirmed his story. He'd done everything he could to protect the four year old but it hadn't been enough.

"This is another bullet graze, Jethro," Ducky said, poking at the gash just above the man's left hip, "and another one," he added, inspecting the gash on Gibbs' outer thigh.

"I told you bullets were flying everywhere," Gibbs replied.

"The large gash on your chest and the small cut on your right side just above your pubic bone are going to need to be cleaned and stitched," Ducky said. "I also want to give you a heavy dose of antibiotics to prevent infection as well as something for the pain."

"Just do what you gotta do, Ducky," Gibbs replied, his head resting on the arm of the couch and his eyes closed. He was well aware he was being watched closely by both Ducky and Tony and it was all he could do to keep his expression neutral while they poked and prodded at him.

"Okay, Boss," Tony grumped, "this has gone far enough. Let me get you in the car and take you back to the hospital."

Gibbs mustered up a halfhearted smile at the pathetic plea that he was guessing was supposed to come out as an order. "I'll be fine, Tony," he replied patiently. "Ducky's patched me up before. He knows what he's doing." He carefully reached over and patted Tony's hand, trying to reassure him.

Ducky cleaned the larger cuts and bullet graze wounds, made sure there was no glass or debris in any of the cuts peppering his body then stitched him up while Tony sat by as patiently as he could, thinking about the different places he felt like he needed to be and things he needed to be doing.

"He was limping pretty bad when I helped him up the stairs, Ducky," Tony said helpfully. "And his left ankle is pretty swollen."

"Thank you, Tony," Gibbs snarked.

"You're welcome, Jethro," Tony replied sweetly.

"How did this happen?" Ducky asked looking over his swollen ankle.

"I think I twisted it when I jumped for cover with Nathan. I tripped over the damn coffee table."

"Let's have a look," Ducky said.

"I'll go grab an ice pack," Tony said, moving out of the way so Ducky could start his examination. He'd meant to get one earlier but helping Ducky and his boss's plethora of injuries had distracted him.

After some gentle poking and prodding and mobility tests, Ducky sighed heavily and applied the ice pack Tony had retrieved. "Jethro, there's no way to tell if it's broken without an x-ray. You _really _need to go back to the hospital. If it is broken and you don't get it looked at, it's only going to get worse."

"It's just a bad sprain," Gibbs insisted. "I'm not going back to the hospital."

"Jethro—"

"How's Tim?" Gibbs interrupted, putting an end to Ducky's lecture.

"Bishop's supposed to call as soon as he gets out of surgery," Tony answered as he wiped the sweat from Gibbs' forehead once again. He didn't remember ever seeing the man sweat before. The fact that he hadn't stopped since Tony had arrived concerned the younger agent.

Ducky rechecked Gibbs' vital signs and gave him the shot of antibiotics and pain meds before telling him how much of a stubborn fool he was. "I'll have to run by the store and get an ace bandage to wrap your ankle," the doctor said. "I gave my last one to Tony a couple weeks ago."

"No need," Gibbs said. "I have several upstairs."

"Probably brand new," Ducky grumped, unhappy over his friend's stubbornness and unwillingness to listen to reason.

"I'll wrap it for him, Ducky," Tony interjected when he noticed how upset the doctor was getting. Gibbs would really lose it if they both started going after him. "Thanks for stopping by."

"Of course," Ducky replied. "Those pain meds will most likely knock him out. I'll return in the morning to check on him."

"I don't know what we'd do without you, Ducky," Tony said warmly.

The comment pulled a smile out of Ducky as he finished packing his medical bag. "Timothy's at Washington General or Bethesda?"

"Washington General," Tony answered. "Bishop's there with him, fifth floor. At least they were being moved to the fifth floor when I left to chase Gibbs down."

"If you need me that's where I'll be too."

Tony saw Ducky to the door before returning to the living room.

"You gonna spend the night lecturing me?" Gibbs asked, his eyes still closed and his body as relaxed as it could be.

"I thought you might like a bath instead," Tony replied. "Might help you relax a little."

Gibbs opened his eyes and looked at Tony helplessly. He could barely move and knew that even if he did manage to make it up another flight of stairs, that there was no way in hell he could really bathe himself but there was no way he was telling Tony that. He wasn't used to depending on others and he hated for Tony to see him as weak as he was.

"Come on, I'll help you," Tony said as if he could read Gibbs' mind.

"I suppose if I try to turn down the offer, you'll just pester me until I say yes?" Gibbs asked, even though a bath actually sounded really nice.

"I'll always do whatever it takes to take care of you when you're being too stubborn to take care of yourself," Tony answered.

Gibbs beamed at the feeling of love and concern the comment gave him. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating everything Tony bathing him would mean, before reluctantly nodding his agreement. He'd just have to find a way to get over feeling weak and vulnerable and accept the help that was being offered.

Tony helped Gibbs sit up on the couch and let him rest for a moment while he grabbed a cup and a few other supplies from the kitchen then the two began the slow journey to the second floor of the house, down the hall and into the master bathroom. Neither commented on the awkwardness of the situation as Tony got the bath water going before helping Gibbs out of his underwear. Gibbs focused all his energy on fighting the pull of the pain meds that were desperately trying to drag him under and tried not to think about being completely exposed in front of Tony.

While the tub filled, Tony carefully covered the small cut just above Gibbs' hipbone that Ducky had stitched with saran wrap and sealed it with medical tape so the stitches wouldn't get wet. The other stitched cut was high enough on the man's chest that it wouldn't be submerged in water.

"Can you lift your leg over the side of the tub?" Tony asked when he'd finished as he rolled his pant legs up before stepping into the already half full tub.

"I don't know," Jethro answered honestly.

"Lean on me, Boss. Trust me," Tony encouraged. "I've got you. I won't let you fall." He smiled and continued, "or, at least if we do fall you'll be on top of me so I'll break the fall." He wouldn't be Tony DiNozzo if he didn't throw a little humor in there.

"I think I've broken enough for the both of us tonight, DiNozzo," Gibbs replied tiredly.

After getting Gibbs into the bathtub, Tony tucked his arms under Gibbs', wrapped his hands around the man's body and carefully lowered him back into the water, knowing the change in position and all the jostling, no matter how gentle, had to be causing massive amounts of pain. Once Gibbs was settled, Tony let him lean back against his legs for a moment while keeping his hands on Gibbs' shoulders to steady him.

"You good?" Tony asked cautiously.

"I think so," Gibbs answered with a heavy breath.

Tony stepped out of the tub and readied the soaps, washcloth and cup. Gibbs moved his hands to his lap to cover himself while he waited, wishing Tony had made a bubble bath so he didn't feel quite so exposed. At least he was hurting too bad for the warmth of the water to have its usual effect on him. Tony didn't need to see _everything_, after all.

"Tell me if I hurt you," Tony said sympathetically as he knelt beside the tub.

"Just do it," Gibbs replied quietly, focusing on his breathing and letting the hot water soothe his aches.

Tony used the cup he'd brought up to wet Gibbs' hair then took his time rubbing the shampoo into the man's short hair. He failed miserably at keeping water out of Gibbs' eyes while washing and rinsing and broke rule six repeatedly but his boss didn't complain once. After his hair, face, neck and back were washed, Tony moved on to his chest but the arms crossing his body were in the way.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Boss," Tony said cautiously.

"I know," Gibbs replied quietly. And he probably wouldn't have been as embarrassed if Tony was just his senior field agent but the attraction he'd felt for the last several years changed things.

"Want me to get naked too?" Tony offered. It came out teasingly but both of them knew he'd do it.

Gibbs smiled. "No," he answered. He leaned back against the tub and closed his eyes then moved his hands and arms out of the way. Things seemed a little less embarrassing with his eyes closed.

Fear, worry and the direness of the situation kept away any inappropriate temptations as Tony washed Gibbs' arms, chest and belly but that didn't put an end to the struggle to keep his eyes focused on the task at hand.

"You doing okay?" Tony asked, trying to focus on something—_anything _but what his eyes kept returning to.

"Just trying not to move too much," Gibbs answered honestly. "I do appreciate this, Tony," he added sincerely, "weirdness and all."

"Who said anything about it being weird?" Tony asked with a chuckle. "Just one guy giving another guy a bath."

"I've always been able to see right through your act," Gibbs replied.

Tony smiled, knowing what Gibbs was saying couldn't be any closer to the truth. He was the one person who'd taken the time to look and he cared enough to not let him get away with hiding behind humor and expensive clothes. "Yeah, well, you'd do the same for me."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Tony squeezed more manly scented body wash onto the washcloth and lathered it up then washed Gibbs' legs. He cringed when the man flinched then noticed there were no injuries on his left thigh to cause him to jerk. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Gibbs lied.

"Boss, please don't lie to me," Tony pleaded. "Just tell me so we can deal with it and move on."

"Alright," Gibbs said, "remember I said I tripped over the coffee table when I was trying to get Nathan out of the line of fire?"

"And you twisted your ankle," Tony said, "yeah, I remember."

"I think I pulled a groin muscle too."

"Oh," Tony replied. "Um, believe it or not I actually have some experience with that. Do you want me to massage it for you?"

"Maybe later," Gibbs answered. Things were already awkward enough for one night and at the moment all he wanted to do was make it to his bed before he fell asleep.

"Okay," Tony said. He finished washing Gibbs then took a moment to look over the other man's body while he was relaxed with his eyes closed. He told himself he was just making sure he hadn't missed anything when in reality he knew he was looking for other reasons.

"Done?" Gibbs asked.

"Kinda," Tony answered. "I mean, I draw the line at washing your junk, Boss," he said with an awkward laugh. "You're gonna have to do that yourself."

"Thank you," Gibbs said as he took the washcloth and finished cleaning himself up, and Tony wasn't sure if he was being thanked for letting Gibbs wash his own private area or for helping him wash the rest of himself.

"Do you feel better?" Tony asked, waiting for the man to finish up.

"Yeah," Gibbs answered. "I'm not looking forward to getting out. I know that's gonna hurt like a bitch but it's nice to not be caked in sweat and blood anymore."

"Don't worry," Tony said, "I'll help you."

Gibbs handed the washcloth to Tony when he was finished and waited for the man to pull the plug so the water could start draining before helping him stand. He couldn't stop the pained groan despite Tony's gentleness as his body was lifted into a standing position. Tony supported Gibbs for a long moment, letting him adjust to the change in position and waiting for the pain to subside before rinsing him off under the shower, helping him out and carefully patting him dry.

"Do you want me to help you get dressed or do you wanna just sleep naked?" Tony asked, hoping Gibbs wouldn't fight him on the sleep issue. The man obviously needed his rest and Tony needed to get to NCIS so he could track down the man responsible for hurting his teammates.

Gibbs thought about it for minute before answering. "Maybe just a pair of underwear. They're in my top dresser drawer. You can borrow a shirt too, if you want." Tony's was pretty wet after helping him out of the tub and it was cold and snowy outside. The last thing Tony needed was pneumonia.

Gibbs emptied his bladder while Tony grabbed a pair of underwear and one of his Marine Corps hoodies. By the time Gibbs made it into the bedroom, Tony's wet shirt was on the floor and the man was decked out in one of his long sleeve tees and the hoody. Tony helped Gibbs get the boxer briefs on and pulled up before turning the covers back and helping him lay down.

He skillfully wrapped his boss's ankle with the bandage he'd found in Gibbs' medicine cabinet before covering the man up. "Need anything else, Boss?" he asked, trying not to sound too anxious. "You want a goodnight kiss or anything?" More humor. Tony couldn't help himself. The worse the situation, the more humor it required to make it through.

"You headed back to the hospital to check on McGee?" Gibbs asked, his eyes already slipping closed. No wonder the man hadn't put up a fight about sleeping. He could barely keep his eyes open.

"Eventually," Tony answered, trying not to lie to Gibbs. "I need to check in with Balboa too. His team's heading up the investigation."

"Keep me updated," Gibbs muttered as sleep pulled him under.

Tony stood beside Gibbs' bed for a long moment and watched until he was sure his boss was asleep. He put a glass of water and Gibbs' phone on the nightstand then hurried down the stairs and out the front door to his car.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: When It Rains…**

It wasn't until the very early hours of the morning following the shooting that the surgeon appeared in the waiting room to brief the anxious group of waiting friends on Tim's condition. Bishop had passed the hours keeping herself occupied with the music on her phone while Leon had gone from reading month old magazine articles to watching the news. So far, the big story was the winter storm dropping massive amounts of snow on the area, shutting down much of the city. The media somehow hadn't caught wind of the shootout and the Director hoped they wouldn't.

Ducky had arrived a few hours prior, after finishing up with Gibbs, and had taken on the role of go-between for the nurses and agents while everyone waited for an official update. He'd insisted on seeing Tim's chart but had kept the grizzly details and grim circumstances to himself, not wanting to burden the others with worries that may or may not prove to be true. Much of the outcome rested in the skillful hands of the surgeon and Ducky knew his colleague was getting the very best care possible. All that was left for them to do was to hope and pray and wait.

"Special Agent McGee is out of surgery," Dr. Erik Parker reported. "We removed two bullets and a lot of glass from his chest, abdomen and arms but by some miracle the only real damage was a nicked liver which we patched up and with a little time it'll heal itself. We did have to give him a unit of blood which'll leave him feeling a little ill over the next day or so but it brought his counts right back up and he's not only alive, I expect him to make a full recovery."

"That's wonderful," Ducky replied. "Is he awake yet?"

"Awake, alert and already asking to be briefed," Dr. Parker reported. "He's in quite a bit of pain but he's being very stoic about it."

"Can we see him?" Bishop asked.

"Of course. We have him on quite a few pain meds and he's still a little loopy from the anesthetic so he might not make much sense or he might even drift off in the middle of a conversation but that's normal," the surgeon advised. "I don't want anyone asking too many questions. I don't want him getting agitated. He's not as strong as he thinks he is. The meds are controlling his pain so his body can have the time it needs to heal."

"Understood," Leon replied.

"He's being taken to his room now," Dr. Parker said. "He'll probably beat you there. Recovery rooms are one floor down. He's in 407."

"Thanks, Doc!" Bishop said cheerfully. Tim was doing well and they didn't have to sit around the waiting room any longer. That made it easier to breathe and believe that maybe the night was finally taking a turn for the better.

Leon favored the surgeon with a nod while Ducky once again thanked the man then they all headed off towards the elevator together.

* * *

Tony found it decidedly unsettling that Team Gibbs' area of the parking lot was completely empty. There would be no McGee or Bishop to screw around with when he got inside, no Gibbs to slap the back of his head when he got too distracted , no Abby to deliver a life threatening hug, no Palmer to tease or Ducky to share memories with. He wondered when he should notify Palmer and Abby. He'd have to go by Abby's place. That wasn't the kind of news he could deliver to her over the phone. Maybe Ducky could take care of notifying Jimmy. He'd call the good doctor and get a plan of action when he got a minute but that would have to wait. First there was a suspect he needed to track down.

He clicked the lock button on the key ring of his brand new used Mustang—the car he'd finally settled on after months of painstakingly looking and riding the bus everywhere he needed to go—plastered a smile on his face and headed into the building, not letting an ounce of the fear that he was feeling on the inside show.

* * *

Abby woke out of a dead sleep in a panic. There was a feeling of dread deep in the pit of her stomach that had her heart racing and her breathing coming out in quick, sharp gasps. Something had happened, something bad. Something was terribly wrong and she knew it, but what?

Her musketeers were on protection detail but they were protecting a four year old, sweet as could be little boy. It was more of a precaution than anything. They'd all doubted the likelihood of there being any real danger but the detail was headed up by her silver haired fox, a man who would protect a child like the Taliban was after him. There was no way that had anything to do with the feeling of dread. Ducky and Jimmy were at home, sleeping soundly in their beds. Nothing bad could've happened to them either.

She laid perfectly still in the darkness, wondering if Jack was okay. The last time she'd seen him it was clear he was slowing down in his older age but the man was invincible. Nothing could've happened to him. At least she hoped not. What about Senior? He was as strong as could be but he definitely had a knack for getting himself into sticky situations with unfavorable characters. What if he'd conned the wrong person and now he was in danger? That didn't really feel right either, though. Was Luca okay? Kyle? The Sisters?

She rolled over and looked at the clock next to her bed. It was too early in the morning to be making phone calls and checking on her friends but her stomach was too twisted in knots to be able to go back to sleep. Maybe a TV show would distract her or she could finish the book she'd been reading. Well, if she could concentrate.

As she rolled out of bed a beam of light outside her window caught her attention. It wasn't bright enough or big enough to be headlights. It looked more like a flashlight and it appeared to be sweeping the area near her window as if someone were searching for something, but what? And why were they so close to her window? There wasn't much out there. Her heart sped up as she watched, waiting to see what was going to happen until almost as suddenly as it had appeared, the light disappeared.

"Hinky," she whispered.

After a brief internal debate, she cautiously made her way over to the window. Part of her didn't want to peek and find out what was out there but the other part of her knew she'd spend the rest of the night contemplating worst case scenarios if she didn't. She reminded herself that she lived in a safe neighborhood and that there was probably an innocent explanation for the light as she tiptoed closer.

Abby unknowingly held her breath as she eased the slats of her blinds apart enough she could peek out. She stared out into the darkness, letting her eyes adjust as she tried to figure out what was going on and where the light had come from but before anything could come into focus, the light suddenly came back on and Abby found herself staring into a face only inches away, pressed right up against her window.

* * *

Once he'd arrived at NCIS Tony had spent the better part of his night making phone calls and waking people up. He could've cared less about the angry responses he was getting each time. He needed to find Nathan's abusive father before anyone else got hurt and he wanted justice for his friends and the little boy now lying in the morgue but even with the help of Balboa's team, he wasn't making any headway. The man was in the wind.

He held the phone receiver in both hands, tapping it against his forehead in frustration as he tried to figure out where the man could've disappeared to but his ringing cell phone pulled his attention and offered a welcome distraction. At least until he glanced at his caller ID and another wave of panic rushed through him. It was Abby. Did she know? Had someone told her? Why else would she be calling in the middle of the night? Should he answer or wait to talk to her until he could do it in person?

He swallowed hard before accepting the call and bringing the phone to his ear. "Hey, Abs," he said nonchalantly. "Why the early morning phone call?"

"_Tony." _Abby sounded more panicked than he'd ever heard her before._ "There's someone staring in my window."_

"What?!" Tony shrieked. That made absolutely no sense. "Do you know who it is?"

"_No. I saw a light outside and when I peeked through the shades, someone was looking back at me. I'm scared, Tony."_

"Okay, alright, stay right where you are." Tony was already grabbing his wallet, keys and jacket and racing for the stairs as he spoke. "I'm on my way. Don't leave the house and don't open the door for anyone. I'll use my key when I get there."

"_Hurry, please."_

"I'm comin', Abs," Tony said. "Be there before you know it!"

He yanked his leather jacket on as he awkwardly ran towards the parking lot. It was hard to get his arms in the sleeves and get it straightened out while he was running but Abby was in danger and he didn't have a second to waste. He stepped out of the building, slipping and sliding on the snow covered ground and made a beeline for his car but as soon as he made it halfway across the parking lot, an explosion interrupted the otherwise peaceful night, throwing Tony backwards and sending sharp, shooting pains through his body.

He lifted his head from where he'd landed on the pavement and saw his new car, his pride and joy, engulfed in flames as parts of the vehicle rained down from the dark night sky. "Not again," he mumbled before his head hit the ground and the world went black.

* * *

Tim smiled weakly when Bishop, Vance and Ducky stepped into his room. Finally, there was someone there who could give him answers. What the hell had happened? How long had he been out of it? Where was Nate? Was Gibbs okay? And most importantly, could someone bring him the paperwork to sign himself out of the hospital so he could go after this bastard with the rest of the team?

"Hey," Bishop said with a reassuring smile, "how are you feeling?"

"Little sore," Tim admitted.

"The doctors pulled a lot of glass out of your body," Ducky said, looking the agent over. He was a little pale and covered in bandages but considering what he'd been through he didn't look that bad.

"What happened?" Tim asked.

"Someone shot up the safe house," Bishop answered. "Don't suppose you saw who it was?"

Tim closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "Gibbs was reading a story to Nate," he said. "I heard squealing tires but it was too late. They had automatic weapons. Lots of gunfire. Maybe even grenades or some sort of IED or something. I don't know. Where's Gibbs and the kid?"

Ducky, Bishop and Vance exchanged a look that told Tim everything wasn't as okay as he'd hoped.

"We lost Nathan," Bishop said sadly. "He took a bullet to the chest."

Tim swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. "And Gibbs?"

"He's his usual stubborn self," Ducky answered. "Tony's with him."

"He signed himself out of the hospital AMA," Leon added.

It felt strange breathing a sigh of relief considering the four year old they were responsible for protecting had lost his life but it was a relief to know Gibbs was still alive and okay. "Any leads?" Tim asked.

"Nathan's dad seems like the most logical perp," Bishop said. "I mean, a four year old can't have that many enemies but—"

"Agent Balboa's team took over the investigation," Leon interrupted. Gibbs wouldn't let them aimlessly throw theories around and get themselves all worked up without any proof to back it up and he wasn't going to let them do that either. "Your team is to stand down on this one. Understood?"

"Understood," both agents replied together.

"Agent McGee, I'm glad to see you're doing well," Leon said, softening his tone. "I need to head over to NCIS and check in with Agent Balboa but you call if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks for stopping by, Director," Tim said.

"See ya," Bishop said with a wave as she settled into the chair next to Tim's bed, sitting cross-legged.

"I'll be following behind shortly to start on the autopsy," Ducky said.

Leon nodded at the two young agents and the doctor then disappeared into the hallway.

* * *

Gibbs could faintly hear the sound of a ringing phone trying to pull him out of the deep, pained sleep he was in but he was so exhausted and he hurt so bad that he didn't want to wake up and he certainly didn't want to move. Who could be calling him? As he hovered on the edge of consciousness and sleep, listening to his cell phone, the events of the night came back to him. The gunfire, Nathan's death, Tim in surgery. Shit. Tim. Was he okay? Surely it wasn't someone calling to tell him he'd lost one of his agents.

He groaned in pain as he reached for his phone and didn't even bother trying to read the tiny words on the caller ID before flipping it open and mumbling a 'hello' into the speaker.

"_Gibbs!"_

It was Abby and she sounded upset. She'd obviously been told what had happened and was probably calling to make sure he was alive and okay. She'd always been the type of person who needed to see with her own two eyes. "Abby," he said, but before he could say anything else she started rambling and it was all he could do to keep up with what she was saying.

"_Something's wrong."_

Gibbs listened to her babble on senselessly about lights and windows and eyes and Tony but Abby was so worked up and his brain was so fuzzy that he wasn't able to make sense of any of it. "Abby. Abby, stop. Take a deep breath and start over." He heard a deep inhale and exhale and smiled despite the fear and pain he was feeling. He couldn't be sure but he didn't think she'd called to talk about what had happened at the safe house.

"_I was having a hard time sleeping and when I was trying to figure out how to pass the time, I saw a light outside my window," _Abby said, doing her best to stay calm._ "When I looked out the window, someone was staring back at me. I called Tony because he lives closest to me and I know you're on protection detail and he said he'd be right over but that was over an hour ago and he's not here and he's not answering his phone and I know you're protecting Nate but I don't know who else to call and I'm really, really scared."_ She was speaking quickly and almost starting to ramble on again by the time she'd finished but at least he understood what had happened that had her so upset.

"I'm on my way, Abs," Gibbs said. "Sit tight. I'll be there in about twenty minutes, tops."

"_Thank you," _Abby said,_ "and please don't get lost like Tony."_

"I won't," Gibbs promised before hanging up the phone.

He got himself out of bed and dressed with little regard for his battered body. Abby was in trouble and he had get to her as soon as possible. Running on pure adrenaline, he barely made it down the stairs without stumbling, grabbed the keys to his truck, his only vehicle with four wheel drive, and headed out the front door, wondering, in the back of his mind, where on earth Tony was. The man was fiercely protective of Abby and it was unlike him to not show up after promising to be somewhere. If Abby had called Tony that scared, Tony would've broken every traffic law in the books trying to get to her.

"You better not be doing anything stupid, DiNozzo," he muttered to himself. His gut told him that wasn't the case at all, though. As soon as he picked Abby up, he'd make it his mission to find Tony.

Gibbs hit Tony's speed dial number as he slid around on the roads on his way to Abby's apartment but just got the man's voicemail. He hung up and tried again and when he got the same result he angrily slammed the phone down in the cup holder. If anything else went wrong that night, he might not have a team left.

Fifteen minutes after Abby's phone call, Gibbs fishtailed into her apartment complex and slid to a stop, double parked in front of her building. He moaned painfully as he slipped out from behind the wheel and hurried into her building. After unlocking the five deadbolts, he opened her door and reached for his gun only to find it not there. He quickly realized he didn't have a clue where his weapon was after all the chaos at the safe house. Shit. He deserved a head slap… as soon as he could deliver one without killing himself.

"Abs?" he called cautiously.

"Gibbs!"

Before he had time to react his arms were full of his favorite forensic scientist. "Abs," he groaned, staving off tears of pain.

"What's wrong?" Abby asked, backing away when she felt how tense he was. She turned the light on and gasped when she saw the cuts, bruises and building sweat. "What happened?!"

"Never mind me," Gibbs groaned. "Still no Tony?"

"No," Abby said. "I think something's wrong, like _really _wrong, Gibbs. What happened to you? Do you know where Tony is? Did something happen that nobody's telling me about?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she fired off question after question at him.

"Which window was your peeping tom looking in?"

"The one in my bedroom," Abby answered, pointing in the direction she'd come from. "I didn't look out again. I just screamed and ran and hid in my closet."

Gibbs nodded in acknowledgment and felt Abby's shaky hand on the back of his jacket as he opened the window blinds and looked outside. Whoever had been out there was long gone but when he opened the window and popped out the screen he could just barely make out two footprints in the snow just beneath the window.

"Do you have a camera?" he asked.

Abby reached into her pocket and handed him her smart phone. Instead of taking it, he stepped back and pointed at the ground just outside the window.

"Take a picture of those footprints before the snow completely covers them up."

"Are you sure nobody's out there?" Abby asked nervously.

"I'm sure, Abs. I'm right here. Nothing's gonna happen to you."

Abby swallowed hard before poking her head out the window and peeking around. Once she was satisfied that no one was watching her, she took several photos of the footprints belonging to the mystery person who'd been at her apartment earlier. Fornell entering the room behind them startling her and caused her to bump her head on the window.

"Ow!" she grumbled, rubbing the back of her head and glaring at the FBI agent.

"I'm sorry, Abs," Fornell said.

"Tobias," Gibbs said, "what're you doing here?"

"You're not answering your damn phone!" Fornell scolded. "So much for all those rules of yours. Never be unreachable?"

"Been tryin' to call Tony," Gibbs explained. "Can't get a hold of him. I left it in the truck when I came in here to check on Abby."

"What the hell happened to you?" Fornell asked, softening his tone. Gibbs looked like he might fall over any minute.

"Not now," Gibbs grumbled. "Pack a bag, Abs. We gotta go find Tony."

"I know where Tony is, Jethro," Fornell interrupted.

"Where?" Gibbs asked impatiently. "And what are you doing here? FBI investigating peeping toms now?"

"Jethro."

Gibbs stopped talking and looked sternly at his friend, waiting for an explanation even though he knew he wasn't going to like whatever it was the man had to say.

"Tony's car blew up," Fornell said, "a little over an hour ago."

Abby gasped audibly and the bag she'd been packing slipped from her fingers. "That's around the time I called him!"

"He wasn't in it," Fornell said. "Best we can figure, he was headed towards it when it exploded and it threw him backwards. He's pretty busted up but he's gonna be okay."

"Define busted up," Gibbs growled, needing to know just how badly Tony was hurt.

"I'm no doctor, Jethro, but his arm looked really bad. Looked like he might need surgery to put it back together."

"What do you mean his car blew up?" Gibbs asked. "Malfunction? Did he get in a wreck?"

The FBI agent shook his head. "This was no accident. We found fragments from a bomb. Somebody was targeting Tony."

Gibbs froze and the color drained from his face. "Not just Tony," he said quietly.

"What're you talking about?"

"One of our safe houses was compromised," Gibbs explained. "It was shot up just before 2200 hours last night." He looked sadly at Abby, wishing there was an easier way to break the news to her but knowing there wasn't. "Killed the four year old we had in protective custody. Almost took McGee and I out as well."

Abby's gasped again and the tears that had been building all night finally spilled out. "Nathan? He's dead?"

"Yeah," Gibbs said sadly.

"That's why you look like hell?" Fornell asked.

Gibbs nodded. "Originally we thought it was the kid's abusive dad getting payback but now…"

"Now it's clear your team's being targeted," Fornell finished for him, letting everything he was learning sink in. "How's McGee?"

"Last I heard he was in surgery. They're removing glass shards and bullets from his body."

Abby's ringing cell phone interrupted the tension in her apartment. She quickly snatched it out of her pocket and answered it, welcoming any distraction from the devastating reality that was beginning to set in. "Hi, Jimmy."

"_Hey, Abs. Sorry to call so late but I've got a real problem over here." _

_His evening had started out great with a perfect cup of steaming hot cocoa and a little added Baileys to enhance the drink. He'd brought the chocolaty treat to his nose and inhaled deeply before taking a cautious sip. A smile crossed his face as the perfect blend of rich cocoa, Baileys and peppermint mocha creamer flooded his taste buds. Nothing was better after a long night of studying than a cup of spiked hot chocolate._

_With his cocoa just the way he liked it and a piece of warm apple pie from the local supermarket deli, he sat down on his couch and turned his TV and DVD player on. Movies helped relax him before bed and gave him and Tony something to talk about. He loved how much his friend got into movies… like there was some sort of alternate universe where all the characters from their favorite films were coexisting. Just the thought of it put a smile on his face._

_He put his coffee mug on the TV tray next to the couch and grabbed the remote control for the DVD player but before he could push any buttons, the movie started itself and began flipping from one scene to the next._

"_That's strange," Jimmy said. He shook the remote and pushed the menu button causing the movie to return to the main menu but moments later it jumped right back to the scene it had left off on and continued skipping forwards and backwards through scenes. Jimmy arched an eyebrow and examined his remote to see if some of the buttons were jammed but he couldn't find anything wrong with it. He was getting ready to try to get it back to the menu screen but before he could, it stopped and the TV screen went blue._

"_What the?"_

_Jimmy stood, walked over to the DVD player and knelt in front of it and as soon as he pushed the eject button, the lights in his living room went off. He looked into the kitchen where the light was still on and cocked his head in confusion._

"_Something hinky's going on here," he said quietly as he stood. He walked over to the light switches and turned the living room light on only to have his kitchen light go off. A beep behind him drew his attention and he turned around and discovered his coffee maker had come on but before he could deal with that, __the movie in the DVD player __was playing again and the volume was getting louder and louder and louder._

_He turned the TV off only to have it come back on immediately, frustrating him even more. He grabbed his phone and dialed McGee's number, hoping the tech savvy agent could offer some advice and when McGee didn't answer he'd dialed Abby._

"Problem? What kind of problem?" Abby asked.

"_All my electronics are going haywire. I tried to call Tim but he's not answering. I'm hoping you can help?"_

"All of them?" Abby asked in confusion. "Did all your warranties just expire or something?"

"_I dunno," _Jimmy answered._ "The TV and DVD player are acting screwy, the coffee pot came on by itself, the lights are turning off and on and… that's just great. Now I hear the radio in my bedroom."_

"That is hinky," Abby agreed. It took her less than a second to connect the dots to all the other strange happenings that evening. Her eyes grew wide and her chest tightened and she gripped the phone even tighter as she yelled into the receiver. "Jimmy, run!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Walking Wounded**

"Jimmy, run!"

"_Huh?" Jimmy asked._

"Now, Jimmy!" Abby insisted. "Get out of your apartment now! I'll explain later. Go!"

"_I'm going! I'm going!" Jimmy said, feeding off Abby's excitement. _

"Hurry," Abby whimpered.

"I'm sending agents his way," Fornell said as he dialed his phone.

"His electronics are going haywire," Abby explained.

"Have him pull the fire alarm, get everyone outta of the building," Fornell said. "Tell him my guys are on the way."

Gibbs tried to keep up with everything that was happening but his head was spinning and his pain was almost overwhelming and all he wanted to do was lie down somewhere peaceful and quiet and be left alone to sleep. He silently cursed the sedative effects of whatever pain meds Ducky had given him as he eased himself down into a chair to stop himself from falling over. Sweat was once again dripping down his face and burning his eyes and once again he simply surrendered to the discomfort rather than exert the effort to wipe it away.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked when he realized the room had gone silent and Abby and Fornell were both staring at him.

"We need to get you guys somewhere safe," Fornell answered.

"I'm not running away, Tobias," Gibbs said firmly, "and I'm not hiding."

"I'm not talking about running or hiding, Jethro," Fornell said, "but your rookie is the only one of your people that hasn't been injured or threatened. I've already been handed DiNozzo's car bomb case and since this is obviously connected, that makes it my investigation. Don't fight me on this one, please."

"Why are they bringing the FBI in?" Gibbs asked. "NCIS doesn't need the FBI to take care of us."

"FBI gets jurisdiction on all attacks on federal agents," Fornell said. "You know that."

"And you know I wouldn't be me if I didn't fight you for it," Gibbs countered. "Someone's attacking _my_ people, Tobias. I want him."

"Jethro," Fornell said, softening his tone, "even you, as stubborn and pig-headed as you are, should know you're in no condition to investigate anything, track anyone down or scuffle with any bad guys. A kindergartner with a pair of safety scissors could take you out with the condition you're in. Let me do this for you, for all of you."

Gibbs knew at that point that he didn't have much of a choice. It would be awhile before he was up and running again and with over half his team injured that'd slow the investigation even more. Fornell was already knee deep in it and had the manpower and investigative knowhow to catch the madman determined to take them out. "Keep me in the loop or all bets are off," he said with a stern glare.

Fornell nodded graciously. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"Damn it, I don't need to go to the hospital!" Gibbs snapped. He was tired of everyone thinking he needed to see a doctor.

Fornell's blank expression slowly turned into a smile as he looked at his good friend. "I thought you might want to see Tony."

"Oh," Gibbs replied. He knew he should be embarrassed but he was too exhausted. "We need to check on McGee too."

"We can do that," Fornell said sympathetically. "Let's get you up."

* * *

Fornell dropped Gibbs and Abby off at the emergency room door before parking his SUV in the nearly vacant lot. Gibbs was obviously in no condition to be exerting much energy doing anything, especially slipping and sliding across the snowy parking lot, and the building stress was causing him to be grumpy as hell and more impatient that Fornell had ever seen him before. By the time the FBI agent had parked and gotten inside, Gibbs and Abby were being helped by Nurse Shawna Harris.

"Back again, Special Agent Gibbs?" Nurse Harris said with a sly smile. "That's right, I heard about that stunt you pulled earlier."

"'m here for Anthony DiNozzo," Gibbs grumbled.

"I shoulda known," the spunky woman replied, still smiling. "He a special agent too?"

"How'd you guess?" Gibbs asked, trying to relax, smile and play along with the lighthearted conversation. He really didn't want the woman to know how bad he was feeling and start fussing over him.

"I know your types," the nurse said affectionately as she waved an accusatory finger at him.

That meant Tony was awake and Gibbs could only image what antics he was up to. "He already tryin' to leave?" he guessed.

"Oh yeah," the nurse said, a broad grin spreading across her face. "Must take after you. I turned around a little while ago and he was makin' a beeline for the door with his little butt hangin' out the back of his gown and not an ounce of shame. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm."

The smile on Gibbs' face was genuine as he imagined the scene playing out. It also made him glad he'd managed to make his escape before they'd gotten him undressed and into a hospital gown. "What's wrong with him?"

"A little bit of everything. The most concerning was the dislocated shoulder and broken clavicle, both on the left side of his body. We had to knock him out to get his shoulder back into place but he's awake now and feisty as ever. The doctor sent his x-rays to an orthopedic specialist to determine whether or not he'll need surgery for the broken clavicle."

"Tony'll love that," Fornell said sarcastically.

"Maybe some visitors will calm him down," the nurse said. "Come on. I'll take you to him."

"Thank you," Gibbs said.

"I do need to warn you," the nurse said as she led the way down the hall, "Tony's a little roughed up. He's got some cuts and scrapes, bruises and burns and a pretty nasty gash we had to stitch up. We've got him all cleaned up and he's gonna be just fine but he looks a little rough around the edges."

"Concussion?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, but because of the circumstances surrounding his injuries we went ahead and did a brain scan and everything's looking normal in there."

"That boy can't go one month without getting his brains scrambled," Fornell muttered.

"Anthony DiNozzo," Nurse Harris said in her strictest tone as her hands found her hips, "for the third time, get your naked little butt back in that bed."

Tony scowled at the nurse until he saw Gibbs standing behind her. "Boss, what're you doing here? You should be in bed!"

"So should you," Gibbs mumbled, resting against the door frame for a moment. The adrenaline rush was fading fast and what little strength he had left was leaving with it but he needed to keep it together for a little while longer.

"I can't," Tony said desperately. "You don't understand, Abby needs help! You have to get me outta here!"

"I'm right here, Tony," Abby said, stepping into view. "I'm okay."

Gibbs moved out of the doorway and over to Tony who'd let out a sigh of relief when he realized Abby was safe but the younger agent resisted when Gibbs tried to move him back over to the bed. "No, Boss, I don't wanna lay down again. Please?"

"Just for a little while," Gibbs said. Tony looked like hell. His left arm was completely immobilized in a sling, he had a large scrape on his cheek, a small cut above his eye that had been stitched and a few other nicks and bruises on his face and that didn't even account for all the injuries the hospital gown hid.

"It hurts to lay down and it hurts to get up. Can't I just stand here? Astronauts sleep standing up."

"You're not an astronaut and your ass is hanging out for everyone to see," Gibbs said quietly, his mouth close to Tony's ear.

"I know," Tony griped, glaring at the nurse, "but I can't reach around to close my gown and they won't give me a robe."

"That's because you keep trying to escape. Lie down, I'll help you," Gibbs said. "Come on. Sit your butt up there." He'd managed to walk Tony over to the bed but Tony was still resisting.

"Nice to see someone can get you to listen, Agent DiNozzo," the nurse said with a teasing smirk and an affectionate wink.

Tony growled at her as he eased himself back onto the bed. The nurse helped keep the arm that was in the sling from moving or jerking while Fornell moved in next to Gibbs and supported Tony's weight so he could slowly lean him back in the reclined bed. Tony whimpered at the pain but once he was in position it was a little more bearable. He'd been hurt before, hell, he'd even broken his leg but nothing compared to a broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder, both on the same side of his body.

"Will you let me give you some pain medicine, now that you know your friend's okay?" Nurse Harris asked.

"No," Tony answered, "maybe another over the counter pill."

"I can't give you any more of those, baby. You've had eight in the last two hours. It's morphine or nothing and I'm gonna have to put that IV back in you."

"Definitely not then," Tony said firmly. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, that's why you're sweating and groaning, you stubborn fool."

"Let her give you the pain medicine, Anthony," Gibbs urged. He was sweating again too and had taken up residence in the not very comfortable chair next to the bed before he passed out.

"I don't want another IV, Boss," Tony said. "I hate needles. You know that."

"What happened to the first IV?" Abby asked curiously.

"I may have taken it out," Tony replied innocently.

"Because you thought you were gonna be able to pull a runner on me," the nurse chided.

"Tony," Gibbs said, reaching out and patting Tony's hand.

"Boss, no," Tony pleaded, not even letting the man finish his sentence.

"Let me call the doctor in here and see what we can do for you," the nurse said. "Are you allergic to pain meds, honey?"

Tony shook his head, trying not to tear up because of the pain but it hurt so bad and on top of that it had been an overwhelming evening and he was currently feeling completely helpless.

"No," Gibbs answered for him when he saw how much trouble Tony was having, "they just make him loopy. Really, _really_ loopy."

"Ahh, I see. We looked in his file and asked him when he came around but he said no. I've just never had anyone refuse pain medicine so adamantly."

"It's probably more the needle than the medicine," Gibbs said as he watched Tony closely. "He had the plague several years back and he ended up getting a lot of pokes during and after that."

Nurse Harris smiled sympathetically and patted Tony's head. "Don't worry. We'll get something figured out, Tony. I'll be right back." After stepping out of the room she quickly poked her head and one finger back in. "And don't you think for one second that I'm not watching you anymore. I have eyes everywhere."

"I don't doubt that," Tony teased. Once his nurse had left for good, he turned to his visitors. "Thanks for coming, guys," he said, "but you really don't have to stay here. I don't think they're gonna let me go tonight. You especially, Boss. You should be home in bed."

"We're not leaving you here by yourself, Tony," Abby said. She grabbed a handful of paper towels from the dispenser by the sink and dampened them with warm water.

"What happened, Tony?" Gibbs asked, watching Abby wipe the sweat from Tony's forehead, wishing it was him performing the task.

"I don't know, Boss. I was running to my car to go to Abby's and the next thing I knew I was laying on the ground and I couldn't keep my eyes open. You sure you're okay, Abs?"

"Stop worrying about me and take care of yourself," Abby scolded lovingly.

"Hey, Abs, you know I love you, right?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," Abby answered hesitantly.

"Can you do me a favor and give me a minute with the boss?"

"Sure," Abby answered with a smile. "I'll go see if I can get an update on McGee."

"I'll go with you," Fornell said, sensing Gibbs and Tony wanted a minute alone. With an unknown threat targeting the team he really didn't want to leave Abby alone either.

Tony watched them leave then looked over at Gibbs. The man was reclined in the chair beside the bed and had his eyes closed but Tony knew he wasn't asleep. "I was just gonna ask about McGee," he said, closing his eyes. "I didn't know Abby knew."

"The team's being targeted," Gibbs explained tiredly. "McGee and I were the targets at the safe house, not Nathan. Abby's peeping tom has to be related. You got blown up. Palmer called Abs when all the electronics in his house started going haywire."

"Shit," Tony groaned.

"Fornell's taking care of everything," Gibbs said. He hated to admit that; hated that he needed outside help to protect his team and even more than that he hated not having the energy to fight harder to keep the case in house. It was his job to protect his team. They were his responsibility but he knew Fornell was right… in his condition he wouldn't even be able to take on a kindergartner with a pair of safety scissors.

"Alright, Agent DiNozzo," Nurse Harris said, stepping back into the room, "I've got some morphine for you but I couldn't avoid poking you again. It's just a quick shot instead of an IV this time. That's the fastest way to get it into your system and get you some relief."

"I hate you, Boss," Tony whined.

The nurse turned him to one side and exposed his butt while Gibbs stood to help.

"I can live with that," Gibbs said weakly. He rested his hand on Tony's thigh to provide a little comfort and help hold him steady and immediately noticed the nasty abrasion just above Tony's butt cheek.

"Your hand's warm," Tony said, trying to focus on anything but the needle that was moments away from being stabbed into him.

"Easy, honey buns," Gibbs teased, "there're people around."

"Don't mind me," Nurse Harris said warmly. She loved dealing with the tough guys. Their antics were incomparable to anyone else's who walked through her doors and their hearts were bigger, too.

Tony whimpered when he felt the cold alcohol swab on his behind and Gibbs tightened his grip. He fisted his good hand into the blankets on the bed and grimaced when the needle went in and a pat on his bare butt from Gibbs told him when it was safe to relax again.

"That'll knock him out for a while if we're lucky," the nurse said as she covered Tony with his gown before rolling him onto his back again and pulling the blankets over him.

"Only if we're lucky," Gibbs teased, stroking Tony's hair—a gesture that for some reason didn't seem strange under the circumstances.

"I heard that," Tony slurred slightly.

One corner of Gibbs' mouth turned up into a smirk as Tony's eyes slipped closed.

"Now it's your turn, Mister," the nurse said sternly, turning her attention to Gibbs. She pushed the curtain separating the two halves of the room out of the way then crooked her finger at the man and gave him a look that dared him to argue with her. Gibbs looked at the chair he'd been sitting in then back at the nurse. "Don't even think about it," she warned.

"I guess a bed would be more comfortable than that chair," Gibbs conceded.

"Good choice," the nurse said.

She fluffed the pillow on the bed and helped Gibbs ease back against it. It was no secret to her how much the man was hurting. Lucky for him, she could be just as stubborn as he was if it meant getting him a little relief.

As soon as Gibbs was stretched out on the bed in front of her she eased the heavy work boots off his feet then started unbuttoning his shirt.

"'m fine," Gibbs mumbled, grabbing her wrist in an effort to stop her fusing. "I just need to sleep."

"Fine? Honey, if a slight breeze blew through here you'd be on the floor."

Gibbs smiled and let go of the nurse's arm. He drifted in and out as she carefully exposed his upper body and inspected Ducky's work, groaning and mumbling under her breath the whole time.

"You pulled a few stitches, baby," she said softly, unsure if her patient was awake or not. "Sit tight and I'll get that fixed right up for you."

Gibbs muttered something incomprehensible pulling another smile from the nurse. He definitely fit the tough guy persona but he was hurting and in need of help and she was just the person to bring healing and comfort.

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"Hospitals."

The nurse smiled broadly. She liked this guy. She liked both of them. "Relax, get some rest. I'll watch over Tony while you sleep."

She would watch over Gibbs too. She watched as her patient settled deeper into the bed and sank into a deep, restless sleep and felt a sense of pride at her accomplishment. Tony was no longer in a panic and trying to escape and in a few short moments both of them would have some relief from their pain so they could rest peacefully and she'd meant what she said. She would be right there, watching over them, making sure no more harm came to them. It was the least she could do for two men who risked their lives protecting the city she lived in.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: In the Dark**

Jimmy had worked himself into a frazzled mess by the time his FBI escort arrived at Washington General Hospital. He knew at least one person on the team was hurt, otherwise they would have been meeting at NCIS, not the hospital, but he didn't know who or how bad or what on earth was going on and his escort was too busy fielding phone calls and making calls of his own to answer any of Jimmy's questions. Jimmy was so stressed out he nearly ran over one of the nurses in his hurry to get some answers.

"I am so sorry!" he said.

"May I help you?" Nurse Harris asked calmly as she smoothed out her scrub top.

"I don't know," Jimmy said. "I think I'm here to see someone but I don't know who."

Any other nurse might've reached for the phone to make a call up to the psych ward but Nurse Harris suspected she knew what was going on. "Let's start with your name, sweetheart," she said.

"James Palmer," Jimmy answered, "but everybody calls me Jimmy."

"Follow me," the nurse said, turning and leading Jimmy down the hall. "They've been waiting for you."

"Who, exactly?" Jimmy asked.

"Judging by how full the room is, I would guess just about everyone. Agents Gibbs, DiNozzo and McGee are resting and Agents Fornell and Bishop, Abby and Dr. Mallard are sitting with them."

"Agent Gibbs is resting?" Jimmy asked in shock. "Who's hurt? Why is Agent Fornell here?"

"I'm not privy to everything that's going on but the answers to all your questions are right through that door, baby," the nurse answered. She pointed at the closed door and motioned for him to go in with a nod of her head.

Jimmy took one last nervous look at Nurse Harris, unsure if he really wanted to know the answers to any of his questions, before pushing the door open and entering the room. His mouth fell open when he saw Gibbs, Tony _and _Tim beat to hell and sound asleep. How had somebody gotten to all three agents? How had anyone gotten to Gibbs? Was that why Fornell was there?

"Will somebody please tell me what's going on here?" he demanded quietly. All the questions flooding his brain were giving him a migraine and he needed answers immediately or he was going to have to check _himself _into the hospital. "What happened to Gibbs, Tony and McGee? Why is Agent Fornell here? Why is the FBI's bomb squad going over my entire apartment building with a fine tooth comb?"

Fornell's ringing cell phone interrupted Jimmy's multitude of questions. The agent excused himself and stepped out into the hall to answer it.

"Have a seat, Mr. Palmer, and Abby, Eleanor and I will answer all of your questions."

"But trust us," Abby added exasperatedly, "you'll wanna be sitting down for this."

Jimmy plopped down into an empty chair and listened in horror as his friends filled him in on everything that happened that night. Each time he thought it couldn't get any worse, it somehow did and many parts of the account were far more intimidating than anything he'd ever faced in the past. It was unusual for a threat to extend past the field agents but someone had gotten to both him and Abby and who knew what would've been waiting for Ducky if he'd been home. Jimmy suddenly felt lucky to be alive after what had happened in his apartment.

"I wish you guys woulda called me sooner," Jimmy said.

"We didn't know there was cause to get you out of bed, Mr. Palmer," Ducky said.

"We've kinda just been figuring this thing out on the run," Bishop explained.

"Well, what can I do?" Jimmy asked. "Should I head to the Navy Yard and prepare for Nathan's autopsy?"

"You can stay seated and wait with us," Ducky replied, although he felt a surge of pride at his protégé's willingness to do whatever it took. "The FBI is handling the investigation."

"Wait?" Jimmy asked. "That's it?"

"Sometimes, Mr. Palmer, that's all we can do."

* * *

The hospital was surprisingly calm and quiet, even for the early morning hour. There wasn't a flurry of activity in the hall outside the agents' door and Nurse Harris kept her regular checks quiet and unobtrusive, knowing that if she woke any of the three sleeping men they most likely wouldn't go back to sleep. Tim had been deemed stable enough to be moved from the recovery ward and was put in a room with Gibbs and Tony, just beyond the ER where Nurse Harris would still be responsible their care while she continued her work in the ER. Her knack for dealing with their types was well known in the hospital.

The rhythmic music of the monitors announced to the world that the agents were still alive but even that wasn't enough to wake any of the three men while their friends looked on silently. Abby rested her head on Jimmy's shoulder while Ducky worked a Sudoku puzzle and Bishop snacked on a bag of miniature chocolate chip cookies. None of them were quite sure what to say. It was rare that a bad guy got the better of them to the point that this one had and none of them knew what to say about their current situation.

The sound of Gibbs' phone in the dark stillness of the night dragged the lead agent out of his restless sleep before any of the rest of them could silence it. He snatched it off the bedside table before the others could grab it for him, cursing when his body protested the sharp movement. Still, he was perfectly capable of dealing with his own phone.

"What's going on?" Tony mumbled sleepily. The minor commotion had awakened him as well.

"Somebody sent me a text message," Gibbs grumped. "Go back to sleep." His body still hurt like hell, he was mad that he'd fallen asleep and mad that someone had woken him up at the same time and he was even madder that whoever it was had also awakened Tony.

"I'm not tired anymore," Tony lied. There was no time to sleep. Somebody had blown up his car, killed Nathan and nearly taken out Gibbs and McGee. Sleep could wait.

"How ya feelin'?" Gibbs asked.

"Better, I think," Tony answered. "I think that morphine really did the trick."

Gibbs felt his bad mood fading slightly and turned his attention back to the text message. "Abs," he said, waving his phone at her. There was no way in hell he could read the tiny print without his glasses and he'd lost track of those hours ago. Maybe they were with his weapon, wherever that was. Who dared text him, anyways? He didn't do text messages. "Any chance you have my weapon, DiNozzo?"

"Planning a hospital break already?" Tony teased. "Or should I say another one? Because I don't think _even you_ could get past Nurse Harris." He smiled at the stern look on his boss's face. "The cop that rode to the hospital with you turned it over to IA as part of their investigation. They gave me your creds which I put in your gun safe at the house."

The smile on Abby's face from the banter between the two men she loved so much faded as she read the message on Gibbs' phone. Her already light complexion paled even more and her mind raced.

"Abby," Gibbs said when the room went quiet, "don't even think about lying to me," he warned. His eyes had fallen closed again but he knew Abby's hesitation could only mean one thing—more bad news.

"Who's the text from?" Tony asked.

"Uh," Abby shot him a helpless look and decided there was no way she could protect them from the sickening development, "the madman responsible for all the chaos tonight?"

"What does it say, Abagail?" Ducky asked. The stress of the situation was even starting to get to him.

Abby took a deep breath before reading the message aloud for everyone in the room to hear.

"_Your entire team will soon be dead  
Which I'm sure will have you seeing red  
But help me  
And you will see  
There is truth behind every word I've ever said."_

"Somebody's trying to kill us again?" Tony asked. As he processed the information he started growing more and more agitated. "Boss, we have to warn everybody! We need protections details, safe houses, guards at the doors and—"

"Relax, Tony," Gibbs interrupted. "This just confirms what we already know. Remember? We talked about this."

"What we already know?" Tony repeated, confused by Gibbs' calm demeanor. "What're you—oh, yeah. Whatever the nurse gave me made my brain all fuzzy. Everybody's safe?"

"We're safe," Gibbs confirmed.

Tony breathed a quiet sigh of relief and let his sore, achy body relax again. "So, what could the message mean?" he asked.

"It's a limerick," Tim mumbled. He was just barely awake enough to follow the conversation. "Not a very good one. I don't know if that's important or not."

"Welcome back, McGee," Tony said.

Abby read the message again and pursed her lips as she tried to make sense of the poem. "Truth behind every word I've said sounds like it's somebody who's has a conversation with Gibbs at some point, or at least left him a message. Someone tried to get him to see something their way but I don't understand the plea for help. Has anyone out of the ordinary asked you guys to take on a case or look into something or anything like that?"

"My brain's kinda scrambled at the moment but I don't remember anyone asking for help recently," Tony answered.

"Bossman? Timmy?" Abby asked.

"No," Gibbs answered.

"I got nothin'," Tim added.

"How did a crazy person get your cell phone number?" Abby asked.

"Business card," Gibbs replied.

"He has a bad habit of writing his cell number on the back of 'em before he hands them out," Tony scolded.

"I do that for the victims," Gibbs said defensively.

"What if it is a victim?" Ducky pointed out. "Someone who, perhaps, didn't get the outcome they'd hoped for?"

"Or the family member of a perp," Jimmy suggested. "They never wanna believe their relative's guilty."

"Can't rule anything out at this point," Gibbs said.

"Do you think there'll be another attempt on our lives?" Abby asked. There was no keeping the worry out of her voice.

"I dunno," Gibbs said, "but I'm not gonna let anything happen to any of you."

Abby looked over Gibbs' battered and broken body lying weakly in the hospital bed and knew she could believe him. He was Gibbs, former Marine special operator, a man who could achieve the impossible, break bad guys with a stern glare and yet was incredibly gentle with those he loved. If there was anyone who could fix the mess they were in, it was Gibbs.

* * *

FBI Agent Tobias Fornell had dealt with his fair share of difficult cases; cases that involved children, cases that involved friends, cases of unspeakable violence, cases that highlighted the very worst of human nature but his current case was one of the scariest he'd dealt with in quite some time. The perpetrator had proven he was very intelligent and patient. It had taken both time and skill to plan a nearly simultaneous attack on each member of Gibbs' team and a little luck to take down three of the agents but Fornell wasn't one to let a lowly dirt bag intimidate him. He would protect his friends and he would catch the bastard that was targeting them.

He returned to the hospital after a briefing with his team to check in on his friends and get a game plan in place. The hospital wouldn't hold them forever, _couldn't _hold them forever—especially Gibbs, who'd already escaped once and Tony's who'd given it his best effort. If Tim had been a little more mobile, there was no doubt he would've given it a shot too. He stepped into the hospital room the group was waiting in and was surprised to find everyone awake at the early hour of the morning, especially the three the nurse had sedated.

"Tobias," Gibbs said when the man stepped through the door, "what'd you find out about the text message?" He'd had Bishop notify Fornell almost as soon as it had come through in hopes it could provide a lead.

"Well hello to you too," Fornell snarked. "Glad to see you. How're you holding up?"

"I'm tired, Tobias," Gibbs grumped.

"Aren't we all," Fornell replied sympathetically. "The message was sent from a burn phone. One of my agents found it in a trash can on the west side about thirty minutes ago. The text to you was the only thing on the phone and it could've been bought at any one of a hundred stores. No prints, no saliva, no other numbers dialed. No nothin'. We didn't get anything on the footprints from Abby's house either. They were already too covered with snow to even identify a size or pattern distinct enough to identify a brand. We're working as fast as we can but whoever this is, is good. They came prepared, Jethro."

"I suppose I'll have to call the airlines and cancel my trip to Europe," Ducky said.

"I'll have to call Sarah and cancel my trip to Florida with her," Tim added. "Mom'll be disappointed but she'll understand."

"Maybe Jake can go to Oklahoma without me," Bishop said.

Fornell looked at Gibbs, head cocked in confusion over all the trips that had been planned.

"We worked over Christmas and New Year's," Gibbs explained. "We were supposed to have this coming week off."

"Hold on. Nobody cancel anything yet. It could be risky," Fornell said, glancing around the room before returning his attention to Gibbs, "but what if we sent Ducky overseas, McGee to Florida and Bishop to Oklahoma. It spreads your team out, makes 'em less accessible. I'll send agents with them to make sure they're safe. We'll tuck the rest of you away in a safe house until we can get this figured out. What do you think?"

Gibbs contemplated the idea before nodding. "No reason all of us need to be hidden away in a safe house. You guys go, have a good time, watch your sixes."

"I must insist on canceling my trip," Ducky said. "With three of you injured, I'm sure my presence would be better served here with you."

"I can take care of everything here, Doctor," Jimmy said confidently. "You should go. You've been looking forward to this trip for months."

"McGee'll be in Florida with his mom who's a nurse," Gibbs added. "I'm sure Jimmy can handle anything that comes up with DiNozzo or me. Get outta here, Ducky. We'll be fine."

"Well," Ducky said hesitantly, "if you're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Is it too late to plan a vacation?" Tony joked, dreading the idea of being hidden away in a safe house for an undetermined amount of time.

"How does a cozy little hotel room in Washington DC sound, DiNozzo?" Fornell replied.

"I guess it's better than the hospital," Tony grumbled.

"As soon as you guys are discharged, I'll have an SUV gassed up and waiting," Fornell said. "The snow's really piling up out there but you should make it just fine. McGee, we'll coordinate with your sister and get a couple agents to make sure you guys make it to Florida okay. Same goes for you, Bishop, Dr. Mallard. I'll bring you guys burn phones but they're only to be used in case of emergency. I want all of you completely off grid."

"So, no getting a pizza delivered?" Tony joked.

"Better make it a hotel with room service," Jimmy said, smiling at Tony.

"I'll get it all set up," Fornell said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Home Away from Home **

Dawn was breaking to the east, the sunrise painting the sky with subtle pinks, oranges and grays before the sun peeked above the horizon and shone through the haze. The storm, which had already dropped several inches of snow on the ground, was still raging with no sign of letting up.

After what felt like an endless night, the weary group with no vacation plans—Gibbs, Tony, Jimmy and Abby—all loaded up into an unmarked black SUV driven by an FBI agent with another in the passenger seat. McGee wouldn't be released from the hospital for another couple days. Bishop would leave that evening for Oklahoma with her husband and Ducky was already on his way to Dulles, hoping to catch his flight before the storm grounded his plane. The goodbyes had been hard considering the circumstances but the group had talked after Fornell left and everyone agreed it was a good plan.

The short drive on the empty streets of DC ended when their FBI escort pulled up in front of the Four Seasons and stopped the SUV. The tired group looked at the hotel and then at each other.

"_This _is your safe house?" Tony asked. "I mean, we use hotels too sometimes but the Four Seasons? Must be nice to be at the top of the alphabet food chain; bigger budgets, nicer safe houses, more expensive toys."

"We get a discount," one of the FBI agents explained. "Think about it, who in America would guess the FBI hides people in a hotel like this? People usually think about dumpy little motel rooms. You guys'll be safe here."

"I don't care where we stay as long as there's a couch," Gibbs said.

"You're not sleeping on the couch, Boss," Tony said firmly. "You have no idea what luxury awaits you inside. Trust me, you'll wanna sleep in the bed."

"We have a suite for you guys on the top floor, room 607," the FBI agent driving the SUV told them. "Mathers will take you up while I park the SUV."

The room the group was ushered into was more like an expensive apartment rental than a luxury hotel room and even more impressive than the group could have imagined. Their suite had two decent sized bedrooms just off a living area with a kitchen and a large, luxury bathroom. Everything about the interior decorating screamed high end and luxury.

"I'm gonna hit the sack," Gibbs said, unaffected by the luxury accommodations. "You guys should do the same." It had been a long night of barely any sleep and they all needed their rest.

"That sounds like a good idea," Tony said.

"I don't think I could sleep if I had to," Abby admitted. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the man staring through her window at her and she really didn't want to deal with the nightmares she knew sleep would bring. "I think I'll see if there's anything on TV."

"I'll sit up with you," Jimmy offered. He wasn't feeling very much like sleeping either. His nerves were shot and his stress level was through the roof. He needed to unwind before he even considered trying to sleep.

"We'll leave you guys the room closest to the TV," Tony said. If asked he knew he could get away with playing it off as not wanting to be disturbed by the TV when in reality he really just wanted to make sure he got to share a room with Gibbs.

Gibbs waited until they were alone in their room before closing the door for privacy and looking at Tony.

"How are you feeling?" Tony asked, growing uncomfortable under Gibbs' scrutinizing gaze. He fixated on the rare sighting of bare skin that was usually covered by an undershirt and admired the little bit of chest hair sticking out of the top of the man's button up shirt.

"Beat to hell," Gibbs answered, unbuttoning his shirt.

Tony swallowed hard at the idea of Gibbs stripping in front of him and he couldn't seem to peel his eyes away until he realized Gibbs was staring back at him. "Sorry," he muttered, quickly blinking and looking away.

"How are you feeling?" Gibbs asked, ignoring Tony's apology.

"Besides the headache from hell? Just peachy," Tony answered sarcastically.

Gibbs' own injuries made him more sympathetic than he otherwise might've been. "C'mere," he said, taking a step towards the man.

"Why?" Tony asked, taking a step back.

"Trust me, Tony."

"I do. I just," Tony hesitated for a moment before relaxing his stance and closing his eyes in surrender, "I just hurt," he confessed.

"I do too," Gibbs replied softly.

With Tony's eyes still closed and his body as relaxed as Tony could manage, Gibbs reached out and gently rested his fingers against Tony's temples. Tony flinched at the unexpected contact but quickly relaxed again and as soon as he did, Gibbs started rubbing slow, soothing circles, using just enough pressure to start easing the massive headache caused by his head bouncing against the pavement after the car bomb blew him backwards.

Tony reached out with his good arm and wrapped his hand around Gibbs' wrist. He wasn't exactly sure why. Fear? Physical contact? Whatever it was, it was making his heart rate increase and his body tingle. It was also making his headache go away and that made him moan. The moan made Gibbs smile.

"Sorry," Tony whispered.

"Don't be," Gibbs replied. "Is this helping?"

"It is," Tony moaned. "If you could just keep doing that forever, that'd be great."

"I would but I'm exhausted, Tony," Gibbs confessed. "Let me help you get the sling off."

"I can't even imagine how tired you are if you're actually confessing to being tired," Tony replied, whimpering at the slight movement getting his arm out of the sling had caused.

"You gonna get undressed?" Gibbs asked expectantly.

Tony looked back at his now shirtless boss and cocked his head in confusion.

"I wanna look at you," Gibbs said with no apology, "make sure you're okay."

"I'm o—" Tony hesitated long enough to decide he wouldn't mind that after all. "Okay," he agreed instead. He watched Gibbs' eyes as he started unbuttoning his own shirt with his good hand. Fornell had had his agents go to each of their apartments and pack a few clothes for them, otherwise Tony would've been stuck in scrubs which would've been a nightmare to get on and off. "I think I, um, I—I might need a little help."

Gibbs helped Tony ease out of his shirt and got his first real look at the other man's injuries. Their upper bodies looked similar, both spattered with cuts, scrapes and bruises. Gibbs reached out and cautiously touched a dark red spot a couple inches below Tony's right nipple. "What happened here?"

Tony looked down at the finger on his chest. "First degree burn," he answered. "Piece of my car landed on me."

"And here?" Gibbs asked, moving his finger to Tony's left side, just above one side of the V that disappeared into his pants.

The finger dragging across Tony's bare skin heightened his senses and caused his body to warm and the tingles to spread. He looked down at the spot Gibbs' finger was now indicating and remembered the startling discovery the nurses and doctors had made when they'd gotten him out of his shirt at the ER. "There was a small screw sticking out of me from the force of the explosion. Docs say I was lucky. It coulda been a lot worse."

Gibbs touched each of the bruises and scrapes on Tony's chest and abdomen before unbuttoning his jeans for him and lowering the zipper.

"Careful," Tony said softly. With Gibbs' help he eased his pants down his long, muscular legs revealing more injuries. His legs were quite a bit more beat up than Gibbs' had been.

"How'd that happen?" Gibbs asked, pointing to the disturbingly large, jagged cut that extended from a couple inches above Tony's knee all the way up his thigh, under the hem of his boxer briefs.

Tony immediately grabbed Gibbs' finger when he touched the overly sore spot. "Didn't get so lucky there," he explained. "A piece of my car cut me open." He released Gibbs' finger and watched the man curiously.

Gibbs carefully lifted the bottom of Tony's boxer briefs out of the way and moved them up his thigh until he found the end of the cut, not far from his groin. "I don't know," Gibbs said. "I think you got pretty lucky."

"Well, in that respect, yeah," Tony agreed, his cheeks reddening slightly, "definitely. But I coulda done without a ten inch gash on my thigh."

Gibbs moved on to the other cuts and bruises covering Tony's legs, including the large scrape across his shin and the nicks and cuts peppering both legs before instructing the man to turn around. His elbows and shoulder blades were scraped up from skidding across the pavement and there was a deep, ugly bruise over his ribcage on the left side of his body that had Tony flinching when Gibbs touched it.

"Doc says I bruised a few ribs," Tony explained. His eyes widened when Gibbs' fingers found the waistband of his underwear and moved it down slightly to inspect the large scrape on his rear end, also a result of skidding across the pavement.

"You look like hell, Tony," Gibbs concluded.

"I look like you," Tony replied, turning around and taking in Gibbs' body once again as the man slipped his jeans off.

The two looked at each other and chuckled in amusement despite there being nothing funny about their circumstances.

"Yeah," Gibbs agreed but before he could continue Abby and Jimmy were walking through the bedroom door and into their room.

They looked from Gibbs to Tony, both men standing in the middle of the room in their underwear, then looked back at each other and started giggling. Gibbs and Tony looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Maybe we should get you guys a do not disturb sign for your doorknob," Abby teased, still giggling innocently.

"Or you could always use a sock," Jimmy added helpfully.

"What do you two want?" Gibbs grumbled.

"We were just making sure you took your medicine and got settled in okay," Abby said.

"We're fine," Tony replied. "Have fun watching your movie."

"Have fun doing whatever you two are doing," Abby said, biting her lip as she grinned from ear to ear. "Just remember, the walls are thin." She and Jimmy burst into another fit of giggles as they headed for the living room.

"And knock the next time you wanna come in!" Tony hollered at them as they retreated.

"That's just gonna confirm something's going on," Gibbs told Tony once they were alone again.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"Otherwise, why would they need to knock?"

Tony's eyes widened as what Gibbs was saying clicked but the words had already been said and the images were already in his friends' minds. "Shit. I'm sorry."

"They woulda started talking on their own anyways," Gibbs said. "You know Abby."

"Yeah, Abby always knows what's going on before the people involved in the situation even know what's going on."

Gibbs thought about what Tony had said for a moment and then nodded unsurely. "Let's get some rest."

Tony looked at the two queen size beds in the room and found himself wishing there was one so they'd be forced to share. It might've been awkward at first but it'd be worth it to sleep next to the man he'd found himself growing closer to over the past eighteen hours. They'd always shared a deep connection and special bond but things were moving beyond that. Their relationship was changing whether they wanted to admit it or not and he had the sneaking suspicion that Gibbs felt it too.

He watched as Gibbs walked between the beds and settled into one of them on the side closest to the other bed. Tony cautiously followed his lead and carefully lowered his battered body down on the other bed, on the side closest to where Gibbs had laid down. It was kind of like sleeping next to Gibbs, at least as close as he was going to get for the time being. Maybe forever, but he hoped not.

"Night, Tony," Gibbs said, his eyes already closed.

Tony contemplated his close proximity to Gibbs as he let the fluffy bedding cushion his body. He glanced over at Gibbs and found the man's eyes were open again and this time they were focused on him. He offered him a genuine smile before closing his eyes and settling in. "Night, Gibbs."

* * *

The sound of pots and pans clanging in the kitchen woke Tony with a start. He whimpered as his body jerked and willed his muscles to relax again so the pain would go away. A glance at the clock on the nightstand told him it was already the middle of the afternoon and just beyond the clock was Gibbs, who was watching him intently.

"Hi," Tony mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his good hand.

"Hey," Gibbs replied. "I think Palmer and Abs are cooking something."

"I hear that," Tony moaned. Concussions might not be so bad if it weren't for the headache from hell that accompanied them. He rubbed his temple, hoping to find a little relief like he had when Gibbs had rubbed them before they'd gone asleep but Gibbs clearly knew what he was doing and Tony didn't.

"Headache?" Gibbs asked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and making sure he wasn't going to get dizzy before standing between their beds.

Tony confirmed with a nod of his head. "I haven't hurt this bad in… well, I don't remember ever hurting this bad and I've had the freaking plague."

"Anything I can do?" Gibbs rested his hand on Tony's forehead, feeling for a fever.

"Put me out of my misery?"

"How about a pain pill," Gibbs offered.

"They make me so tired," Tony complained. "I don't wanna sleep all the time."

"How about some Motrin now and another pain pill before bed?"

"That depends," Tony replied. "Are you gonna take one too?"

Gibbs almost said no without even thinking but before he did, he realized he'd probably need one of his pills and that Tony would be more apt to take his medicine if he did as well. "I don't want to but I'm gonna," he said instead.

"Alright," Tony finally agreed, "but will you help me get up before you go? I gotta hit the head."

Gibbs helped Tony out of bed and helped him get his sling on then, while Tony headed off to the bathroom, he pulled his jeans on and eased into the button up shirt he'd been wearing before his nap. He stepped out of their room and found Jimmy and Abby working together in the kitchen.

"S'getti?" Gibbs asked, dropping a kiss on Abby's cheek as he peeked over her shoulder. Losing Nathan and having the rest of his team threatened reminded him how important it was to show them he cared.

"Chicken parmesan," Abby corrected. "I hope we didn't wake you. Agent Mathers brought us up some groceries and we were hungry."

"We were ready to get up anyways," Gibbs said. "That smells good."

He reached for Tony's pill bottle and smiled softly when Abby's fingers found the bloody cuts on his hand. He'd washed them, Tony had washed them and the nurse had washed them but it was going to take time and healing before they didn't look quite so grizzly.

"Those are Tony's," Abby said quietly, focusing more on Gibbs' hand than the pill bottle in it.

"I know," Gibbs replied gently. He wrapped his hand around Abby's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "He's gonna take some Motrin now and something stronger before bed."

Abby's eyes found Gibbs', searching for the honestly they held. "Are you guys really okay?" she asked, a troubled smile on her face.

"We're fine, Abs," he answered, "I promise."

"I could go with some grub though," Tony said as he made his way into the kitchen. "What're you guys cooking? I smell red sauce."

"Chicken parm," Jimmy answered proudly, "but you're gonna have to deal with Prego. We don't have the fixings to make pasta sauce from scratch."

"Considering there's a mad man after us, I'll let it slide this time," Tony joked.

"Is there a problem with your wardrobe?" Gibbs asked, looking Tony up and down.

Tony looked down at his underwear clad body and shrugged. "No," he answered before taking the pill from Gibbs' hand and downing it with a swallow of water. He looked at Gibbs again and realized the man was expecting more of an explanation. "My jeans rub at the cut on my thigh and the stitches get caught in my pajama pants. It's easier to just not wear pants."

"Likely excuse," Abby teased with a giggle.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're always looking for a reason to take your pants off, Tony," she answered playfully, "not that we mind."

"Hey," Gibbs grumbled when Abby started looking Tony up and down.

Abby grinned even bigger at the possessiveness in Gibbs' voice but didn't say anything. She knew better than to poke the bear, as Tony would say.

"DiNozzo, with me," Gibbs said, crooking a finger at the man as he headed back towards their bedroom.

"The food'll be ready in five minutes," Abby called after them, "so don't take too long in there. Or we could always just keep it warm for you," she added right before the door closed with a bang.

"Aw, Boss, come on," Tony complained when the man unzipped the duffle bag with his things in them. "Everyone here has seen me in my underwear at some point or another. What's the big deal?"

"Just a shirt," Gibbs told him, pulling out the first button up shirt he came across. "It won't kill you," he added when he saw the disgruntled look on Tony's face.

The disgruntled scowl turned into a sly smile as Tony stared at Gibbs. "Can I wear one of your shirts?" he asked.

"Why?"

"Because you have warm flannel," Tony answered, "and my dress shirts really don't go with boxer briefs."

"You weren't worried about being warm when you were parading around in your underwear," Gibbs grumbled with a roll of his eyes, successfully hiding his smile. He actually liked the idea of Tony wearing one of his shirts and he liked the fact that the younger man had asked in the first place even more. He wasn't sure what it meant but he was sure it meant something.

"There is a snowstorm plastering the city with inches and inches of cold, wet… uh, snowy stuff," Tony pointed out, watching as Gibbs tossed his shirt over the chair in the room and started rifling around in his own bag.

"Uh-huh," Gibbs grunted skeptically.

Tony eased his arm out of the sling and let Gibbs help him get the shirt on before slipping it back in place. It had been less than twenty four hours since the explosion and he already couldn't wait to ditch the obnoxious sling. The shirt hid the majority of his injuries and the tails of the shirt hid most of his boxer briefs.

"How long do you think we'll be stuck here?" Tony asked, waiting patiently while Gibbs buttoned the shirt up for him.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Gibbs replied. "Hopefully not long. Why? You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired and I don't feel good and I wanna go home."

"This is gonna have to be home for the time being."

Once Gibbs had finished buttoning Tony's shirt and deemed him adequately covered, the two headed back out into the common area. The table had already been set and dinner was waiting for them. Abby and Jimmy were already seated across from each other, leaving two seats open for Gibbs and Tony. Gibbs sat down next to Abby while Tony took the seat across from him, next to Jimmy.

"That's a good look for you, Tony," Abby said.

"Abby," Gibbs said, knowing that if he didn't stop her something inappropriate was sure to come out of her mouth next.

"It's been a long time since we've all had a chance to sit down and eat together," Tony said as plates were filled and drinks were poured.

"We should do this more often," Jimmy said, "and not because there's a crazy person trying to kill us and we're stuck in a safe house."

The group agreed as they dug into their meal. Abby and Jimmy tried not to stare as they watched Tony struggle to cut through his chicken with only one good arm. Things didn't get any better when Gibbs offered to help only to end up struggling as well. Between the bullet hole and graze on his left arm and fear of pulling another stitch and having to return to the hospital for a third time, he was only slightly more successful than Tony.

It wasn't long before the grunts and grumbles of frustration and the stress of the situation got the better of Abby and seemingly out of nowhere tears started streaming down her cheeks. She'd been successful at holding it in for a while but she was overwhelmed and functioning on very little sleep and watching two of the toughest, strongest men she knew struggle to cut through a piece of perfectly baked chicken breast was simply too much for her.

"Aw, Abs, it's alright," Gibbs said, tugging her to his side and kissing the top of her head.

"I'm sorry," Abby cried, wiping at her eyes. "I don't even know why I'm crying. This is all just too much."

"It's okay," Gibbs said softly into her hair. "I didn't mean to get frustrated. I'm not upset with you guys."

"I know but whoever this is got us good," Abby pointed out through her tears. "What if he's successful next time? You guys can barely walk, Tony can't wear pants and neither of you can cut up a piece of chicken breast. He nearly killed every single one of us. What's gonna stop him next time? He's gonna come back. They _always _come back."

"Relax, Abby, calm down," Gibbs said. "We're gonna stop him. I will. Tobias will. There's a whole team of people from a lot of different agencies working on this. We're on the offensive now. We know he's coming and we're preparing for him. He won't catch us off guard again."

"I'm trying to be brave but I'm so scared."

"I know. It's okay to be scared but I promise you, I'm gonna keep you safe. We're gonna be okay—all of us are going to be okay," Gibbs said confidently.

Abby sniffed loudly and nodded. She wanted to believe him and a big part of her did believe him but whoever was after them had already crippled them and it was difficult to argue with those facts. "I'm not really as hungry as I thought I was," she said, pushing her plate away.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not really that hungry either," Tony admitted.

"We should all try to eat a little bit," Gibbs said. "We need our strength." He looked around the table at the dejected looks on his friends' faces and frowned. As bad as he wanted to continue to assure them that everything really was going to be okay, even he didn't feel as confident as he should have about it. He hadn't been able to protect Shannon and Kelly or Nathan or even himself—not to mention a whole slew of other agents and friends over the years. It was hard not to let the doubts creep into his mind but he had to be strong for his team. He had to hold it together for them and do whatever he could to keep them safe. That was the only thing he could do.

Thirty minutes later there was an old black and white comedy playing on the TV while the group sat squeezed together on the couch. Abby had carefully propped herself up against Gibbs, with her head resting on his shoulder and his strong arm wrapped protectively around her while Tony and Jimmy sat on the other side of the man, picking at the popcorn in the large bowl on Tony's lap and sipping on their sodas.

The movie was nothing more than mindless entertainment and none of them were really fooling each other but they were all trying desperately to forget about everything that had happened and just be normal for one evening.

* * *

Tobias Fornell was just turning onto his street to have breakfast with his daughter before she had to leave for school when his phone started ringing again. It had been ringing all night for the second night in a row. He considered ignoring it, for fear of information that might take him away from his breakfast date with Emily but his current case was big enough he knew he couldn't do that. He grabbed the phone out of the cup holder and answered.

"Fornell."

"_This is Sacks,"_ the voice on the other end of the line replied. _"I just got a call from our agents in Alexandria."_

Fornell's heart dropped. Gibbs' house was in Alexandria and the only agents he had in Alexandria were at Gibbs' house. "What happened?" he practically groaned.

"_Another bomb,"_ Sacks answered reluctantly.

"Son of a bitch."

"_Fire department's there now,"_ Sacks continued, _"along with the bomb squad. I don't know how bad the damage is. I'm on my way as well."_

Fornell hit the brakes and looked longingly at his home for a moment before turning his SUV around. "I'll meet you there."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Leveled **

Gibbs had just figured out how to work the single serve coffee pot in the hotel room—at least he hoped he had—when there was a knock on the door. The tired group looked around the room at each other, none of them very awake yet due to the early morning hour but none of them having much luck sleeping either.

"I'll get it," Gibbs grumbled tiredly when Jimmy made a move for the door.

They may have been in a safe house with a protection detail but he wasn't taking any chances. He instinctively tapped his side as he limped towards the door on his busted up ankle and once again found himself without his weapon. He cursed under his breath but a quick glance over his shoulder told him Tony was ready to back to him up and keep Abby and Jimmy safe if needed. He peered through the peep hole and found his longtime friend standing on the other side, waiting to be let in.

"Tobias," he said as he opened the door. He ushered the man in and checked the hallway before closing and locking the door again. "What're you doing here so early?"

"Did you catch him?" Tony asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, no," Fornell answered. "I'm afraid he caught us again." He placed the bags of food he'd brought with him on the dining room table along with a drink carrier full of coffee cups. "Lainey made you guys pancakes, bacon and sausage," he said as he removed one of the 'to go' coffee cups and handed it to Gibbs. "She offered to make you whatever you want; told me to tell you to just let her know."

There was a reason the diner Gibbs frequented was his favorite and Elaine was a big part of that reason but he knew his friend, the man responsible for heading up a massive investigation and manhunt, hadn't stopped by to deliver pancakes and coffee. "Why are you here, Tobias?" He took the cup his friend offered and downed a generous swig, delighting in the familiar perfection of his favorite brew.

"We should talk in private, Jethro."

Gibbs looked around the room at his team and shook his head. "We're all in this together," he said around a swallow of coffee. "Just tell me."

Fornell looked at the exhausted group, all of them eagerly awaiting the news he had to tell them, then refocused his attention on Gibbs. "There was another explosion last night," he said. "Your house, Jethro. He blew up your house. I'm sorry."

"What?" Gibbs asked cocking his head in confusion. He hadn't been expecting that.

"His home?" Tony asked, just as shocked and confused as Gibbs was.

Fornell nodded. "We've only been on scene for a few hours but preliminary findings are pointing to the same type of bomb that blew up Tony's car."

"How bad is it?" Gibbs asked, thinking that it might've been better to have the conversation in private after all. At least Fornell had taken care of telling his team for him and he wouldn't have to answer all their questions.

"Your house is leveled," Fornell answered gently, "the only thing still standing is the basement."

Gibbs nodded in disbelief. "What about my neighbors? Was anybody hurt?"

"No," Fornell answered. "There was some minor damage to your next door neighbors' houses from the force of the explosion and flying debris but it's minimal and nobody got hurt. Nobody saw anything either, though."

"Nobody got hurt, that's what's important," Gibbs said, trying to come up with something to say before the others started asking questions and consoling him. He looked at the horrified expressions on his friends' faces and did his best to smile. "It's just a house, guys."

"But it was _your _house," Abby said.

"Your _home_," Tony added.

"Homes can be rebuilt," Gibbs said, "people can't. It'll be okay."

"You keep saying that and it keeps getting worse," Abby said sharply. She didn't know whether to scream or cry. She wanted to do both.

Gibbs smiled sympathetically and pulled her tense body into a hug, kissing the top of her head as he did so. "He may be winning right now but it won't last. He'll slip up and we'll catch up to him. For now, we're safe and that's the most important thing. Now, we should eat," he said, changing the topic completely.

"Gibbs," Tony said but Gibbs cut him off before he could continue.

"Breakfast is gonna get cold."

"Jethro," Fornell tried.

"Is there any syrup?" Gibbs interrupted again. He didn't want to talk about his house any more. He didn't want to think about it or address it or anything. He wanted to eat his pancakes and forget it had happened.

Fornell and Tony shared a look before Fornell nodded. "Yeah, Elaine packed the butter pecan, she said it was your favorite."

"She's a keeper," Gibbs said with a smile. "Are you eating with us, Tobias?"

"No," Fornell answered with a shake of his head, "I need to get back to work. You guys enjoy."

Breakfast was filled with awkward glances and long silences. The majority of the time, the only sound that could be heard was everyone chewing. Gibbs was either in denial or trying to process the news he'd just received and no one knew quite what to say to him or each other. The quiet contemplation continued until Abby couldn't take it anymore.

"If you want I can help you in the shower, Gibbs," she offered. "I'm sure it'd feel good to get clean."

"Wait, what?!" Tony asked, his fork clanging against his plate after it fell from his hand. "If anybody's gonna help Gibbs in the shower I think it should be me," he said just a little too possessively. "I mean, I am the senior field agent, after all."

"I was just trying to help," Abby said, her hands raised in surrender. She hadn't expected such a strong reaction from Tony. Judging by the way everyone sitting around the table was staring at Tony, none of them had. "I just figured that since you were hurt too that maybe you would appreciate someone else helping Gibbs and maybe even you."

"I'm sitting right here," Gibbs grumbled in annoyance, "and I can shower perfectly fine on my own. I've been doing it for decades. I will, however, help you, Tony." He eyeballed the man curiously, wondering why he'd gotten so upset and sounded so possessive? when Abby offered to help.

"I don't need help taking a—" Tony froze and thought about what Gibbs was offering. "Actually, a little help might not hurt, you know, with me being down to one arm and all."

"Uh-huh," Gibbs grunted knowingly.

It wasn't until the two of them were standing in the bathroom that the full implications of the offer clicked in Tony's head.

"You'll hang out in your underwear in front of everyone but you're gonna get shy about stripping down in front of me?" Gibbs asked when Tony hesitated. "I've seen you naked before, Tony."

"I know, but that was different," Tony insisted. It was the _in front of Gibbs _part that was throwing Tony. Things were changing between them and whether they were ready to admit it or not, they both knew it.

"I did it the other night," Gibbs said, "you can do it tonight."

"I've never had someone so anxious to get me naked before," Tony joked.

"More like anxious to get this over with," Gibbs covered.

"It's more than that and you know it," Tony challenged without thinking. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he'd just said but he decided since he'd started he might as well keep going. "Something's different. Something between us. Don't tell me you don't feel it too."

"Okay," Gibbs admitted, "I won't tell you that." He watched Tony quietly for a moment, waiting to see what he was going to say or do next. It quickly became clear that Tony didn't know what to say next and was waiting for him to keep going so he spoke. "Do you need help with your sling?"

"Yes, please."

* * *

"At least something good is coming out of all of this," Abby said. She and Jimmy were sitting on the couch in the living room area of the suite. The TV was on but neither of them were really watching it. Too much had happened.

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked.

"Gibbs and Tony finally getting together," Abby explained. "Who knew it'd take the threat of death to get them to make their move."

"They're not exactly together yet, Abby," Jimmy pointed out.

"Yet," Abby emphasized. "You saw how upset Tony got when I offered to help Gibbs in the shower," she said with a smile. "It won't be long."

* * *

The coffee Elaine had sent over with breakfast disappeared almost as soon as it had arrived, leaving the group with the coffee from the single serve pot. Tony, Abby and Jimmy were thrilled with the high tech machine while it left Gibbs feeling frustrated. He couldn't get his coffee anywhere near as strong as he liked it and he hated having to fiddle with the machine every time he wanted another cup. What was so bad about a full carafe that offered effortless refills whenever they were needed?

After going through the hassle of brewing yet another cup, Gibbs limped over to the couch, sat down and propped his sore foot up on the coffee table. He'd been overdoing it and he hadn't been wearing the air cast Nurse Harris had given him and it was beginning to catch up to him.

"Where's the brace the nurse gave you?" Abby asked.

"I dunno," Gibbs grumbled. "It was getting in my way."

"It was slowing you down so you could heal," Abby corrected.

"You really should wear it, Agent Gibbs," Jimmy added. "Not wearing it will only add on to your recovery time."

"It's on the floor in the corner of our room," Tony said. He'd rat Gibbs out if meant not having to listen to Abby and Jimmy's lecture anymore. They'd only just started and he already felt like he was back in the hospital.

"I'm changing the channel, guys," Gibbs said, as Abby and Jimmy disappeared into the room he was sharing with Tony.

"We're not watching it anyways," Abby called.

Gibbs flipped channels until he found a local station running the news. He waited patiently only half listening as they ran the weather forecast and went through all the school and government office closings, showed footage of ridiculous amounts of snow piled up on everything from roads to cars to houses. Images of children building snowmen and sledding down hills put a smile on his face while stories of tragic accidents and misfortune caused by the frigid temps took him right back to his somber mood.

"You're watching the news?" Abby asked, kneeling in front of him while Jimmy knelt on the floor on the other side of him.

Tony sat back and watched in amusement as two of his good friends attempted to play doctor with their surly boss.

"I wanna know if they've caught wind of our case yet," Gibbs grumbled. "What do you two think you're doing?"

"You have to wear the air cast, Gibbs," Abby told him. She was the favorite. If anyone could get away with giving him the push he needed to follow the doctor's orders, it was her.

"Who says?"

"Do you wanna end up worse off than you are now?" Abby asked.

"Ducky's not gonna be happy with you if he finds out you took that thing off," Tony added.

"You too?!" Gibbs asked, glaring at Tony with a traitorous gleam.

Tony smiled apologetically and shrugged. "Just looking out for you, Boss."

"If it means you guys'll leave me alone, I'll put it back on," Gibbs said grudgingly.

"I can do that for you, Agent Gibbs," Jimmy said. "This is actually one of the first things they taught us in—"

"Without the commentary, Palmer," Gibbs grumbled.

"Of course."

Abby and Jimmy shared a triumphant smile then Abby watched as Jimmy carefully put the air cast back on Gibbs' swollen ankle.

"Is it a good thing that the news doesn't know about our case?" Abby asked.

"Good and bad," Gibbs said. "Our perp doesn't know the status of the investigation. He's not gonna get scared and run off but that leaves him here with free reign and whatever plot he's dreamed up. It could make him upset though, depending on what kind of a statement he's trying to make and how big of an audience he wants. We all know what that means."

"This feels more targeted though," Tony pointed out. "The attacks feel very specific. He likes bombs and he really wants to hurt our team."

"But if he's not getting the results he wants and he can't find us…" Gibbs let his sentence trail off and simply raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"Hopefully Agent Fornell will find him soon and put an end to this madness," Jimmy said.

"That'd be nice," Tony said. "I'd give just about anything to get out of here."

"I thought you were excited about staying at the Four Season," Jimmy said. "Seems like your dad would be impressed."

"Jealous is more like it," Tony snarked, "and it's not the staying at the Four Seasons part that's bothering me. It's the not being able to leave part. I feel like a caged animal that's being tracked down by a skilled hunter."

"We could go swimming," Jimmy offered. Their protection detail had given them permission to use the pool, as long as they let them know before going.

"There's about fifty stitches holding my leg together, Palmer," Tony replied. "I don't think swimming would be the best idea."

"Fifty stitches?" Jimmy asked. He'd seen the gash but hadn't gotten a very good look at it and never would've guessed it had taken fifty stitches to close it. Maybe Tony was exaggerating. At any rate, swimming was out. "I forgot about the stitches."

"Any chance Fornell would give us access to the casefiles?" Tony asked Gibbs. "We're the targets. We might know or be able to see something the FBI can't."

"I'll ask him the next time he calls," Gibbs said, "but the NSA is involved now too. Fornell might not get the final say."

"The NSA? Is that a Bishop thing?"

"That's a 'there've been two explosions in the nation's capital in the last two nights' thing," Gibbs replied.

"They're trying to get ahead of this guy but they're not having any luck," Tony guessed. "Why else would the alphabets be playing nice instead of working against each other?"

Gibbs subtly nodded at Tony, really not wanting to upset Abby any more than she already was, even though he knew she'd already put the pieces together too. The situation was bad and would probably get worse before getting better.

* * *

Twelve year old Avery Michaels stepped out of her apartment building behind her dog, Beau, followed by her mother, Cindy. The snow was starting to taper off but the damage had already been done. It was piled up everywhere leaving nowhere to put what still needed to be cleared from the roads and sidewalks. With any luck, she wouldn't have to go back to school all month.

"Do you think Tony's stuck at work because of the snow?" Avery asked her mother.

"I don't know, sweetheart," Cindy replied. "He didn't say."

Avery was Tony's down the hall neighbor and was responsible for feeding Tony's fish whenever he was out of town or couldn't make it home in the middle of a long case. He'd called earlier that day and asked Avery to feed Kate until further notice. The twelve year old didn't mind. She loved taking care of Kate and Tony was always generous when he returned but really she would've done it for nothing.

"I hope he makes it home in time to build a snowman with me," Avery said, "or we could have a snowball fight with Beau or maybe he'll wanna go sledding again!"

"He almost broke his neck the last time you two went sledding," Cindy said with a smile.

"But the sled did make a good snowboard," Avery commented.

"Until he wiped out," Cindy agreed.

The two had just turned the corner when the ground shook and fireballs shot out of several windows on the seventh floor of their building—the floor they lived on. The sound that accompanied it less than a second later was deafening and had Beau tugging against the leash in an effort to get away. Confused and in shock, both Avery and Cindy turned in horror to see smoke and flames pouring out of the windows of every single apartment on their floor and debris falling from the sky. In an instant, everything they owned was gone and everything they thought they knew about the world had changed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Instabilities and Insecurities **

Abby and Jimmy did most of the work packing up everyone's things. They hadn't brought much with them to the hotel but Gibbs and Tony struggled when it came to bending and twisting and even lifting, which made it difficult for them to move around and get their few belongings in their duffle bags, much to their frustration.

The mood in the SUV was pure confusion; Gibbs and Tony confused and angry while Abby and Jimmy were confused and scared. Why had they been told to hurry and pack and why in the middle of the night? It wasn't like any of them were getting much sleep anyways but the whole situation left them all feeling very uneasy.

"We don't like it when you keep secrets from us, Mathers," Tony stated bluntly.

"We don't know any more than you do, DiNozzo," Mathers replied. "Fornell just wants us to get you guys to headquarters immediately."

"Well that's reassuring," Jimmy muttered under his breath.

Less than an hour after receiving the phone call from Fornell, the group was walking into FBI headquarters and making their way through the halls to the conference room they'd been instructed to meet in. Fornell was there waiting for them along with Vance, giving the group a ray of hope. Maybe things weren't as bad as they'd anticipated. Perhaps Vance just wanted to talk to them and Fornell hadn't wanted too many people to know where they were staying, even their own director. That didn't explain why they'd been told to bring all their belongings or why they were meeting, literally, in the middle of the night, though.

"What the hell is going on here?" Gibbs demanded as soon as everyone was in the room and the door was closed. "Why all the cloak and daggers?"

"You guys should sit down," Fornell said. His tone told everyone he didn't have good news before he even started explaining what was going on. "I'm assuming we want to hear this news as a group again," the FBI agent confirmed as the group sat down around the conference table.

"You're assuming right," Gibbs answered for them.

Fornell looked from Gibbs to Tony. "Tony?"

"No," Tony whispered, realizing the news was directly related to him. Just the fact that Fornell had called him by his first name was disturbing in and of itself. "Can't be worse than my brand new car being blown up and me almost right along with it," he said when he realized Fornell was still waiting for his permission to tell the group whatever news he had. The FBI agent's silence wasn't very comforting. "Or maybe it could?"

"At 10:18 last night your apartment building blew up," Fornell informed Tony along with the rest of the group. "The explosion emanated from your apartment."

"Son of a—what the hell is going on here?!" Tony demanded through gritted teeth.

"What are you guys doing to catch this bastard?" Gibbs added, just as angry as Tony.

"Everything we can," Fornell answered patiently. He understood their anger and knew it wasn't really directed at him and that there was nothing he could immediately say or do to make it better. If he was in their shoes, he'd be just as pissed. Hell, he wasn't even in their shoes and he was just as pissed.

"What kind of damage are we looking at?" Tony asked. He didn't really care about building damage or financial costs. He cared about loss of life but he couldn't bring himself to ask how many people—how many of his neighbors had lost their life because of him.

"Your apartment's a total loss," Fornell said, "most of the seventh floor is."

"No," Tony interrupted, "I mean..." He let his sentence trail off, unable to finish it.

"What's the death toll, Tobias?" Gibbs asked bluntly but quietly.

"Seven dead," Fornell answered. "I lost count of how many injured we sent off to the hospital."

"We've evacuated the residences of everyone else on your team and we're in the process of searching their buildings," Vance added. "We'll have agents watching around the clock in case our guy shows his face."

"A lot of good that's gonna do," Abby snarled. "We don't even know what his face looks like."

"We're doing the best we can, Miss Sciuto," Vance replied, unimpressed with her pointing out the shortcomings of the investigation.

"Abs," Gibbs said, patting her leg under the table. He was just as upset and they were all functioning on very little sleep but he knew their anger wouldn't help the investigation and he could tell Vance's patience was already wearing thin.

"I'm just sayin'," Abby said in surrender.

"I know," Gibbs said, "but we need to figure out what to do next."

"We're moving you guys out of the hotel and into an actual house," Fornell said. "This guy's already proved he'll go to any length necessary. We can't risk him posing as a bellhop or someone from the cleaning crew and actually getting to you guys."

"Or risk him blowing up a hotel full of people because of us," Tony muttered.

"None of this is your fault, DiNozzo," Fornell said.

"Tell that to all the people in my building who no longer have a place to live because they have me as a neighbor," Tony said angrily. "If I didn't live there, they'd all still have a home and seven people wouldn't be dead."

"Tony," Gibbs said.

"What?" Tony snapped. "Tell me I'm wrong!"

"You can't let yourself think like that," Gibbs said, knowing he would feel the same if it was him in Tony's shoes. "You—you just..." He stopped and shook his head. There was nothing he could say or do. "I'm sorry, Tony," he said instead.

"We're working on getting you guys into a new safe house right now," Fornell told the group, "but it might be an hour or two. I'm gonna go see if I can hurry the process along."

Nobody said anything as they watched Fornell leave. There wasn't much to say.

Vance looked around the room at his dejected agents and decided maybe an update on Nathan's case would distract them from everything else. "Nathan's father turned up," he said. "He crawled outta the woodwork when the news reported Nathan's death. He thinks he's going to sue us for wrongful death."

"Knowing how things go these days, he'll probably win, Leon," Gibbs stated cynically.

"An abusive father responsible for taking his son to a drug deal and then murdering someone in front of him? Our legal department doesn't think they have a chance but the guy's lawyer seems to be working on something. We have him in custody now so he won't be able to hurt anyone else."

"Wait, the news finally caught wind of all this?" Tony asked.

"They've actually known since the bomb went off at Gibbs' house last night," Vance answered. "We asked them to hold the story so we didn't panic the city but they're starting to put the pieces together and this promises a real ratings hike. Public records made it easy for them to figure out the house that was blown up in Alexandria last night belonged to an NCIS agent. They backtracked and discovered NCIS agents were involved in a shootout the night before and I'm sure it won't be long before they figure out an NCIS agent lives in the apartment building that was blown up tonight, if they haven't already. We could only hold 'em off for so long. This is gonna be the big story on every news show across the country until we get it solved."

"Goody," Tony replied sarcastically. "More pressure for us and a bigger audience for our perp. This should be a helluva of a lot of fun."

* * *

The trip to Manassas to the new safe house seemed to drag on forever. The roads were still nearly vacant thanks to the winter storm and early morning hour but travel time went from just under one hour to almost two thanks to the icy roads. Each time the suburban slid around or hit a bump, the tension in the agents' bodies increased and their hearts jumped to their throats which was just plain exhausting for Abby and Jimmy and downright painful for Gibbs and Tony's battered bodies. By the time their protection detail parked in front of the safe house, they couldn't get out of the vehicle fast enough, not that any of them were moving very fast at that point.

Their new safe house was nothing like the room at the Four Seasons they'd left in the middle of the night. It was situated in the middle of a quaint neighborhood; the neighboring houses not too close for any nosy neighbors to cause problems but not far enough away that they were completely isolated.

The exhausted group made their way inside, all of them dragging their feet and having a difficult time simply keeping their eyes open. Whoever was after them was not only doing a good job of staying one step ahead of them, but also keeping them from getting any real, uninterrupted rest or peace in their lives. They hadn't had any real sleep in the past three nights and on top of that there was a constant threat of attack, keeping their adrenaline levels high and their subconscious and conscious on full alert at all times. All of them were worn down and worn out, both mentally and physically.

"There are only three rooms," FBI Agent Dawson informed them as he helped carry their bags into the modest house. "A couple of you will have to double up again. We don't have any safe houses with four rooms and we didn't want to split you guys up."

"It's fine," Gibbs grumbled as he limped into the house. "DiNozzo and I can share again. We'll probably be the ones up and down all night anyways. No point in keeping you two up." In the end it really didn't matter who doubled up. It wasn't like any of them were going to all of a sudden be able to sleep.

"The master bedroom has the biggest bed and easiest access to a bathroom," Dawson informed them, pointing in the direction of the room. "The other two rooms are on the opposite side of the house. Mathers and I will be outside if you guys need anything. I'll leave a two way radio to stay in contact."

"Thanks," Tony muttered.

Dawson stepped back outside to rejoin Mathers, leaving the four friends alone inside the less than cozy safe house.

"Is it just me of does this feel like deja vu all over again?" Tony asked. "Arriving at a safe house early in the morning after a night of explosions and little to no sleep? I really don't like the pattern we're developing here."

"Me neither," Jimmy muttered. "Do you think we're really safe here?"

"Well, there's no chance of a bellhop assassin or serial killer cook poisoning our food, if that's what you mean," Tony said. "As for everything else, who the hell knows?"

"We're safe," Gibbs said in his standard, no nonsense tone. He lifted the left side of his shirt, revealing a SIG Sauer, pulled it from the waistband of his jeans and secured it before handing it to Tony along with an extra clip he dug out of his pocket. When Tony was hesitant to take the weapon, Gibbs lifted the right side of his shirt, revealing he had a weapon as well.

"Does Fornell know you took these?" Tony asked with a knowing smile as he took the handgun and checked it over before tucking it into his own waistband.

"He gave them to me," Gibbs replied.

"I feel better already."

* * *

Thanks to a lot of help from both Abby and Jimmy, Gibbs managed to get a decent fire going in the living room fireplace. With the frigid temperatures and the wind howling outside, the warmth was comforting and the crackling of the logs seemed to bring a sense of familiarity and peace with it. It reminded Tony, especially, of Gibbs' house, which he'd always thought of as a refuge.

Once everyone was somewhat settled, Jimmy disappeared into one of the bedrooms to lie down, in hopes of getting rid of the tension headache that was rapidly spreading from his forehead around to the back of his head and down to his neck and Abby headed off to the shower to 'wash all the bad off' leaving Gibbs and Tony alone in the living room, sitting side by side on the lumpy, old excuse for a couch. It actually reminded them both of Gibbs' sofa.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"Talk about what?" Tony asked, playing dumb despite knowing what Gibbs was referring to.

"Your home."

"Do _you _wanna talk about _your _home?" Tony replied, turning the tables on the man.

"It's just stuff," Gibbs said with a shrug of his shoulders. "And memories," he added, "but the memories can't be taken away."

"But that was where you raised Kelly," Tony said. "Doesn't that bother you? You lived there with your wife and daughter. It has sentimental value that you can't put a price tag on. You can't rebuild that, Gibbs."

"It does," Gibbs admitted, "and I can't. It bothers me but Shannon and Kelly are more than ghosts occupying an old, empty house."

"Your house wasn't empty," Tony interrupted. "Your house always felt like more of a home to me than anywhere I've ever lived." He chuckled forlornly. "I think I'm more upset about your house being gone than my apartment. Except that my apartment building was filled with innocent people and now seven of them are dead, who knows how many are in the hospital and all of them are homeless."

"I know it feels like your fault, Tony, but you didn't plant that bomb. You didn't blow the building up. You had no part in that."

"I know that logically but in my heart it feels like I'm responsible. If I didn't live there…" Tony sighed quietly. "I don't know how to not feel like this. I don't know how to get over it, Gibbs."

"We catch the bad guy and we get justice," Gibbs told him.

"Well, one thing's for sure, I'm never living in a building with a bunch of other people again."

"Oh, Tony," Gibbs sighed.

"You don't have to say it, I know it's irrational," Tony admitted.

"I think we both just need some time," Gibbs said. "Are you okay sharing a room again?"

"With you? Yeah."

"You okay sharing a bed? Because I'm sure Abby would jump at the opportunity to share a bed with either one of us."

"I want to," Tony confessed. "Actually, I was kinda wishing our hotel room only had one bed… not to be creepy before we're being forced to share a bed or anything."

"It's not a good idea to make big life decisions and changes when you're tired and emotional, Tony."

"That's not how I see this at all, Gibbs. It's more like life is fragile. We've both almost died, not once but twice in the last three nights. Why wait? And why let fear hold you back? I don't wanna die with regrets."

"We're not gonna die."

"You know what I mean."

Gibbs responded by clasping his hand on Tony's knee and squeezing affectionately before removing it again. Things were definitely changing and Tony wasn't being shy about any of it. He wasn't pushing either, though. Whatever was going to happen, was going to happen naturally, just the way it should.

"Am I interrupting?" Abby asked, peeking out from the hall.

"No, Abs," Gibbs replied with a gentle smile, "come on over."

"I know I should be tired but I don't really feel like sleeping," she said as she made her way across the living room and sat down on the other side of Gibbs. "I'm kind of afraid to close my eyes."

"You're safe, Abby," Gibbs promised her as he draped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her to his side.

Abby rested her head gently against Gibbs' shoulder and stared into the mesmerizing flames of the fire. The rich smell reminded her of being back home in Louisiana as a child and the bonfires her father would build on cool fall evenings for her and her siblings and their friends to enjoy. Being tucked up against Gibbs' chest took her back to the love, safety and protection she'd felt as a child and immediately helped her to relax. With her mind well over a thousand miles away and her body relaxed, several nights of no sleep finally caught up to her and before she could stop it, her eyelids were falling closed and her body went limp against the man she knew she was safe with. She released a deep sigh, gave up the fight and let herself sleep.

"Abby's out," Gibbs whispered to Tony.

"I wish I could sleep like that," Tony said. "Well, I mean, not exactly like that, like cuddled up or whatever. I'm _really_ not trying to get weird before we crawl into bed together this evening or anything. Everything just keeps coming out wrong. I think I'm gonna stop talking now."

Gibbs smiled at Tony's nervous rambling. "You should go try to get some sleep too. You'll be more comfortable in bed."

"I'm happy right here," Tony said, "and I'm comfortable with you."

"It's gonna be another long day, Tony."

"I'd rather sleep out here with you guys." He reclined back against the couch and propped his feet on the coffee table, next to Gibbs'. Once he was comfortable, he closed his eyes and scooted over slightly until he was touching Gibbs. "You gonna try to get some shuteye?"

"I might as well if I'm gonna be the human pillow," Gibbs teased.

"You love us," Tony told the man.

Gibbs smiled at two of his favorite people before relaxing into the couch and closing his eyes as well, hoping sleep would come quickly and let him escape from the harsh reality of their situation for a little while.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Brand New Warfare **

_This isn't weird or anything, _Tony thought as he carefully eased himself into the queen size bed next to Gibbs. It had been a long, lazy day that had extended well into the early morning hours, until there was no more putting off the inevitable. Tony looked over at Gibbs, sitting casually propped up against the headboard of the bed and mirrored his stance. The two shared a glance and then a smile.

"How much worse is this gonna get before things start getting better?" Tony asked once he'd situated himself in the bed.

"I don't know," Gibbs replied quietly. He stretched his leg out straight and winced in pain as he moved his pulled groin muscle in the wrong way.

"I never did massage that for you," Tony said when he noticed.

"I'm not sure I want you massaging that," Gibbs replied.

"What's a matter, you don't trust me?"

"More like I don't trust _me_," Gibbs replied.

"So I get punished because you can't control Jethro Junior?"

"Not massaging my groin is punishment for _you_?" Gibbs asked.

"Sure. I mean, I need to, uh," Tony struggled slightly to come up with a legitimate complaint through the haze of the heavy painkillers he was still on. "You're cheating me out of an opportunity to practice my craft," he finally settled on.

"Your craft is investigating crimes, DiNozzo," Gibbs said with a chuckle.

"I have other crafts," Tony informed the man. He stood beside the bed and crooked a finger at Gibbs. "Scoot."

"Tony," Gibbs argued

"No, no," Tony interrupted. "Come on. You'll thank me in a minute. I promise. Now scoot over."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at Tony. He was usually the one giving the orders and Tony following and he was unsure about the role reversal that seemed to be happening but with so many aches in his body, he'd do just about anything for a little relief, no matter how awkward or revealing it might be. He made a scene about scooting over to Tony's side of the bed so that his injured leg was closest to Tony.

"I like the tough guy act," Tony said, "but just so you know, I can see right through it."

Tony was right, his reluctance was an act—an act and fear—but he wasn't going to admit to either one of those.

"Are you wearing underwear?" Tony asked shamelessly.

"Excuse me?"

"I can't massage your muscles through your pants, Gibbs. That's not how it works. Do you have underwear on?"

Gibbs was taken aback by the question but nodded. There was no backing out now. With a little help from Tony he wiggled out of his sweatpants, leaving him in briefs and a t-shirt. When Tony reached for his thigh, Gibbs grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

"Whatever happens in this room, Tony, stays in this room," Gibbs said firmly.

Tony swallowed hard and nodded. "You got it, Boss."

"Jethro," Gibbs corrected.

Tony nodded once again. "Jethro," he repeated and smiled down at the man.

Gibbs released the tight grip he had on Tony's wrist and did his best to relax. He pulled the blankets over his good leg and into his lap, covering himself even more while Tony gently moved his injured leg into position with his knee pointing upwards and his foot flat on the bed.

"Cold?" Tony asked, not very successfully hiding his disappointment over Gibbs covering up.

"Something like that," Gibbs answered.

"This is gonna be kinda uncomfortable but tell me if it hurts too much. Now's not the time to be Mr. Tough Guy."

"Go ahead."

Tony carefully worked the muscles in Gibbs' inner thigh from his knee all the way down to where his leg met his body and then back up again. He watched Gibbs' face for signs of pain and smiled when the stoic expression turned to a wince, revealing a particularly sore spot.

"You're not talking to me, Jethro," Tony scolded gently.

"It's a little tender there," Gibbs admitted.

Tony worked his hands back and forth over the sore spot for a moment before returning to the long, soothing strokes until he came across another sore and started all over again.

"Doing okay?" Tony asked.

"Mm-hmm," Gibbs hummed, his eyes closed. "You were right. I am gonna be thanking you."

Tony's smile lit up the room so much that Gibbs didn't even need to open his eyes to see it.

"Don't let it go to your head, Skippy," Gibbs said with a grin.

"Are you excited?" Tony asked in a whisper.

Gibbs' hand moved to his lap where his hardening cock was hiding beneath a cheap comforter. Each time Tony's fingers trailed closer to the sensitive area, more blood rushed in and tingles rushed out. "I'm excited about getting a little relief from some of the pain."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant."

"Well?" Tony asked expectantly.

"Well," Gibbs mimicked.

Tony grinned from ear to ear. "You're not gonna answer me, are you?"

Gibbs' only response was a smile.

"That's okay. I like it when you leave things to my imagination."

"Don't even go there, Tony."

"Too late."

Tony took a little longer than absolutely necessary to finish up his massage while Gibbs laid patiently in bed, enjoying the skillful hands working him over. He could feel the tension in his muscles easing and the relief was long awaited. Tony's fingers had done more in a short amount of time than the all pain pills the doctors had given him had done over the past couple days.

"Easy," Tony said quietly as he helped Gibbs stretch his leg out when he was finished. The man was in an incredibly relaxed state of mind and Tony didn't want to disturb it with too many harsh movements or words. He hadn't seen Gibbs in a peaceful state since before the mess had begun. Tony walked over to the opposite side of the bed and slipped under the covers. He and Gibbs shared another look and another smile.

"Thank you," Gibbs said.

"You're welcome," Tony replied. "Don't be afraid to ask if you want me to do it again. You gotta tell people what you need, Jethro."

"I'll try to remember that," Gibbs said, knowing full well Tony was right. He remembered what it was like to rely on Shannon and let her into his life to the point that they could share a deep, intimate relationship. It was a feeling he'd never felt before her and hadn't felt since. It was also a feeling he decided he might not mind sharing with Tony, but that wasn't a decision to be made lightly and it wasn't one that needed to be made in that moment. "Night, Tony."

"Good night, Jethro."

* * *

"Either Fornell's shielding us from some horrible atrocity that developed overnight or our bad guy is done blowing things up," Tony said. "Mathers, is there something you're not telling us?" The FBI agent had poked his head in that morning to get some coffee for himself and Dawson.

"I haven't heard anything," the FBI agent said, "and we never got orders to bring you guys in again. I think it might be safe to say our bad guy is done blowing things up." He knocked on the wooden cabinet and smiled at Tony.

"As odd as it is, I think the silence might be even creepier than the bombs," Tony said, looking around the way a paranoid person might. "He's changing the game. He has something else planned though. I just know it."

"Stop getting yourself all worked up, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, buttering the blueberry pancakes he'd just pulled off the griddle.

"We've been here for twenty four hours," Tony pointed out. "We made it through all day yesterday and last night without this dude making contact or wreaking havoc or causing great bodily harm to us or more innocent people. He's never gone this long without doing something horrible. I'm just trying to brace myself for whatever he has planned next."

"Maybe he's done," Mathers pointed out.

"Nah," Tony said with a shake of his head. "He hasn't accomplished anything yet, resolved anything, received anything. He's a man on a mission. He's gotta have an end game."

"It was a nice thought," Mathers replied with a shrug. "I'm headed back outside. Dawson'll freak if I don't hurry back with his coffee. Radio us if you need anything."

"Will do," Gibbs said before turning his attention to Tony. "Will you go put a shirt on before the others wake up?"

"You really don't like anyone else seeing me in my underwear, do you?" Tony asked with a gleam in his eye.

"I'm not gonna dignify that with a response."

"That was the only response I needed."

"Go put some clothes on, DiNozzo. Breakfast is almost ready."

Fifteen minutes later the group was gathered around the table, passing plates and bowls filled with blueberry pancakes, sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs. It was a feast fit for a king, prepared by their fearless leader but despite the fantastic smells and delicious looking food, none of them were overly hungry.

"This reminds me of Saturday mornings at my house when I was growing up," Abby said. "Dad used to always make big, hearty breakfasts and they were always delicious."

"That sounds like a nice tradition, Abs," Tony said as he picked at the pancakes. Nobody made pancakes as good as Gibbs did but he still found himself uninterested.

The sudden presence of their protection detail startled Abby but had Tony breathing a sigh of relief.

"Pack it up, guys," Dawson said. "We gotta go."

"Again?" Jimmy asked.

"This is more like it!" Tony exclaimed. "_Now _my day is complete."

"What happened?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing," Dawson answered. "We have a visitor."

"Visitor?" Gibbs asked.

Mathers entered behind his partner with a young college aged boy who looked like he might piss pants any second. The group looked at the young man and then at their protection detail.

"I don't get it," Tony said.

"He brought this," Dawson said, holding up a single sheet of notebook paper in a clear evidence bag. There was a short, typed message on it but the group couldn't read it from across the room.

Gibbs stood and took the paper from Dawson and read it before passing it along to Tony to read aloud to the group.

_Agent Gibbs,_

_You can run but you can't hide. I think I've proven that I know where all your agents live. I know you guys were in room 607 at the Four Seasons. And I know exactly where you're hiding in Manassas. How does it feel to be hunted? My brother was hunted too. Tell me, how does it feel, Agent Gibbs? And tell me one more thing, Agent Gibbs. How does it feel to not be able to protect those closest to you?_

_That's all for now but don't worry, we'll talk again real soon._

"You," Tony said, standing and pointing an accusatory finger at the college kid.

"Back off, DiNozzo," Dawson said moving between Tony and the kid when Tony took a step towards him. "Mathers, get him outta here."

"I just wanna talk to him," Tony replied innocently.

"You can't and you know it," Dawson said firmly. "Pack your things. We need to move, now."

* * *

Fornell sat in the small interrogation room, directly across from the young man who'd acted as a courier earlier that morning, with his back to the two way mirror. Gibbs was hiding on the other side of the mirror, along with Tony, Vance and Agent Sacks. Abby, unsure of how much more she could handle, had decided to skip witnessing the interrogation and Jimmy had graciously stepped up to wait with her.

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know," the kid said, before Fornell had even asked him a question, "just please, don't send me to jail. I have a huge test coming up and if I fail it, this whole semester's gonna be a waste."

"Your test is the least of your concerns, kid," Fornell replied. "What's your name?"

"Brandon Dougal, Sir."

"Well, Brandon, there are FBI agents ripping apart your dorm room as we speak," Fornell informed the young man. "They're talking to all your friends, your professors, your family, the lady that rings you up at the grocery store. So it'd be in your best interest to tell me what I wanna know and _don't _waste my time on lies."

"I was looking for an easy job," Brandon said, once again not waiting for Fornell to ask him a question. "I needed to make some fast cash so I could afford the Adderall I needed to pass my big test."

"Where were you looking for this job?"

"All over," Brandon answered with a shrug, "but I met the person that hired me in an online gaming chatroom. He said he'd give me $500 if I delivered a message to an address in Manassas. It didn't really seem right but after reading the message I just figured if FBI agents were being hunted that they should know about it. It—it seemed like I was actually doing them a favor."

"You're a special kind of stupid, aren't you, kid? Did this person that hired you give you any other information or instructions?"

"He just told me to deliver it to the address between two and three in the morning," Brandon answered.

"Is there a reason you were five or six hours late?"

Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "I figured whoever was at the house would be asleep. I didn't want to wake them. And I was worried I wouldn't be able to find the house in the dark. I kind of get lost easily."

"When did this conversation take place?"

"Last night. Nine, maybe ten o'clock."

"How were you supposed to get paid?"

Another shrug. "The guy—or whoever it was just said he'd get it to me."

"Have you ever heard the saying 'too good to be true', Brandon?"

"Yes, Sir. I—I was just hopeful. It was stupid, wasn't it?"

"Very stupid, Brandon."

"Am I going to jail?"

The kid looked terrified and as much as Fornell wanted to make him sweat and punish him for his stupidity, he didn't have time to mess around with a frightened college kid who made poor decisions. "Not if you continue to cooperate." He slid a legal tablet of yellow paper over to Brandon along with a pen. "We need to know what game you were playing, which chatroom you were in, your screenname, the other guy's screenname, everything you can remember."

"Anything you need, I'll do it. I promise."

A somewhat intimidating smile crossed Fornell's face as he stared Brandon down. "I know you will, Brandon."

* * *

"Kid doesn't know jack shit," Fornell said, stirring a packet of fake sugar into his cup of black coffee.

"He knows enough to nearly land himself in jail," Gibbs pointed out.

"We'll hold him while we check out his story," Fornell said. "His computer's already in our forensics lab. We're going over everything, talking to everyone. I believe his story but I'm not taking any chances."

"I believed him too," Gibbs admitted, swirling the coffee in his cup before chuckling to himself. "I'm surprised he didn't crap his pants."

"Me too," Fornell said, sharing in Gibbs' laughter.

"Do you have anything yet, Tobias?" Gibbs asked, getting serious once again.

Fornell just barely shook his head, not wanting to admit to how poorly the investigation was going and how far ahead of them their bad guy was. "The bombs were made with simple ingredients you can get at any store. We're checking recent purchases but it's a needle in a haystack. We don't know which store he's shopping at. We've found no fingerprints, no DNA, no trace of anything that might tell us who this guy is."

"Have you heard from Ducky or McGee or Bishop?" Gibbs asked.

"They're all fine," Fornell answered. "I've been in touch over the past few days and I talked to each of them this morning. Perp hasn't made contact with them but considering this morning's note, I put their protection details on high alert."

"Give us access to your files, Tobias," Gibbs urged quietly.

"I don't know if I can trust you not to go rogue on me, Jethro."

"Look at me," Gibbs replied. "I can barely move. If I decide to go rogue, Mathers and Dawson will let you know and you'll easily be able to catch up with me."

A smile crossed Fornell's face. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Mathers and Dawson would be the last to know. You forget I know you're past, Mr. Marine Corps Sniper. I'm guessing you could be in the next county before my people even knew you were missing."

"I won't go rogue on you, Tobias," Gibbs insisted. "We're going crazy being bounced around from safe house to safe house. At least let us help figure out who's hunting us. The more eyes, the better."

"It's not your eyes I'm worried about, Jethro," Fornell said. "It's that damn macho man, stubborn streak that seems to make you think you're invincible. You've been known to do stupid things in the past when you thought you were invincible."

"And you haven't?" Gibbs accused.

The FBI agent considered his friend for a moment with a smile on his face before tilting his head slightly in agreement. "I'm sticking my neck out here for you, Jethro," he said, "but I know you'd do the same for me. Don't make me regret the decision. Don't jeopardize your safety to protect the people you love."

"Alright," Gibbs replied nonchalantly.

"Can you at least say it like you mean it?" Fornell teased.

"I'm not gonna do anything stupid, Tobias, but I can't just sit around on my ass and do nothing anymore. None of us can."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Captain Crazy Pants**

The new safe house wasn't unlike the last one except that it was in a different county and far enough away that they'd taken a helicopter to shorten the journey. The fact that their perp hadn't contacted Ducky, McGee or Bishop had Fornell hoping that if he could just put Gibbs, Tony, Abby and Jimmy far enough out of reach that they'd be left alone as well. He doubted something so simple would actually work but it was worth a shot while he attempted to track down what seemed to be an obvious leak that kept giving their location away.

With their luggage in a pile right inside the front door, the group immediately sat down at the dining room table and got to work going over what little information Fornell had shared with them. The man hadn't been exaggerating when he'd told them he didn't have much.

"I don't understand the text you got at the hospital, Gibbs," Abby said as she read the cryptic limerick once again.

"_Your entire team will soon be dead  
Which I'm sure will have you seeing red  
But help me  
And you will see  
There is truth behind every word I've ever said."_

"I think whoever this is has proven he could've easily killed every single one of us by now," Abby continued. "He's known where we were all along and he hasn't shied away from blowing things up and even killing seven innocent people, eight if you include Nathan. He threatened to kill us but so far he's just scaring us."

"And what's with the last part?" Jimmy added. "He asks for help and promises we'll see the truth but he hasn't told us what he needs help with."

"That's because revealing what he needs help with will most likely tell us who he is," Tony said. "He hasn't killed us because he needs us to help him prove whatever truth he believes but it's a catch 22 situation. If lets us in on what he really wants, he knows he'll be arrested and there's no guarantee he'll get what he wants."

"He's leaving breadcrumbs though," Gibbs pointed out. "The note he left us this morning was about his brother being hunted and him being unable to protect him."

"So all we have to do is find a male with siblings who's being hunted in some way and then we can figure out who's hunting us," Abby said skeptically.

"It's a start, Abs," Tony said with a smile, even though he wasn't feeling much more optimistic.

"Let's narrow the playing field," Gibbs said, getting down to business. "It's gotta be related to the Navy or the Corps. Few people outside that circle have heard us. They'd have targeted a different agency. Location: it would make sense that whatever happened that triggered this happened in DC. We have offices all over; our perp is here for a reason."

"But this is headquarters, Boss," Tony pointed out. "The reason could be that he felt like our office was the only one that would have the jurisdiction and authority to help him."

"It could," Gibbs agreed.

"It feels so targeted though," Tony said. "He chose _our_ team and not just the agents. He went after forensics and our M.E.s too. I mean, he had to study us for a long time to know as much as he seems to know about us and to be able to pull all this off."

"So was our team picked by chance or is there a specific reason he chose us?" Jimmy asked.

"Let's start with cases we've worked," Gibbs said. "Can you access our casefiles on that thing, Abs?"

"It's a laptop, Gibbs," Abby said very matter-of-factly, "and yes, I can."

"Good. DiNozzo, you help Abby. Palmer and I are going to build a profile on this guy. Let's see how much you've picked up from Ducky, Jimmy."

* * *

Tony mindlessly slipped roasted almonds into his mouth, one at a time, as he watched over Abby's shoulder. He was somewhat relaxed and reclined on the couch with one foot propped up on the coffee table while Abby was sitting up straight with both feet on the floor, busily typing away on her computer and flipping from one casefile to the next in search of anything that might help crack the case open.

"Almond?" Tony offered, holding the tin over in front of Abby.

"We don't have time to eat, Tony," Abby scolded teasingly.

"If that were the case we might die of starvation," Tony pointed out. "Let's be honest here, we don't have a clue what we're looking for."

"That's never stopped me before."

"That's why you're the best, Abs."

The two shared a smile then Abby turned back to her laptop and Tony went back to eating almonds until Gibbs and Jimmy entered the room.

Gibbs sat down on the couch closer than necessary to Tony. Not only were there other places to sit, there was plenty of room to spread out on the couch but Gibbs had chosen to sit practically on top of Tony and it didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the room. "Anything yet?" he asked.

Tony shook his head, watching as Jimmy opted to sit in the recliner and wondering what kind of statement Gibbs was trying to make by sitting so close to him. "What about you guys?"

"Best guess? Our perp's a male with a high level of intelligence who's out for revenge," Gibbs said.

"We're guessing he's in his early twenties and hasn't learned any healthy means of expressing himself or coping with stressful situations," Jimmy cut in. "That would fit in with the high intelligence. People who are _that _smart often can't connect and communicate with others on a social level and sometimes don't gain the skills necessary to process and cope with things that don't go their way."

"He's most likely single, possibly recently broken up with a girlfriend or even separated from a wife," Gibbs said, taking over again. "Having anyone else in his life at this point would be a risk. They may notice a change in his behavior or odd comings and goings and report that. He's smart enough he'd know that and dedicated enough to his cause that he wouldn't risk getting caught because a loved one grew suspicious."

"That doesn't narrow it down very much, guys," Abby informed them.

"It's the best we could do with what little we have, Abs," Gibbs replied. "Is it enough?"

Abby smiled over at Gibbs. "Every little bit helps," she said optimistically.

While everyone else's attention was on the case and the progress Abby was making, Tony's focus had shifted to Gibbs' close proximity. The warmth of the man's body, the peace Tony felt at being so close to him, the way he couldn't keep his eyes from tracking to the side to steal a peek and that smirk—that damn smirk!—on Gibbs' face that told Tony the man knew _exactly _what he was doing.

Tony moved his hand to his thigh and glanced around the room to make sure no one else was paying attention to them before gradually stretching his arm out and moving his hand closer and closer to Gibbs' leg and he didn't stop until he was touching the other man. Gibbs subtly stretched his fingers out, brushing them across Tony's before moving his arm behind Tony and stretching it across the back of the couch while leaning into Tony. His eyes may have been on Abby's research but his mind was on Tony.

The two were so wrapped up in each other that neither noticed the quiet in the room or the fact that Abby was growing more and more agitated until all the attention pushed her right over the edge.

"That's it!" she grumped. "I can't take this any longer. Will you all please go find something to do other than sitting here staring at me?"

Gibbs dropped his hand down onto Abby's shoulder, massaging her tense muscles and using it as an excuse to get even closer to Tony and rest his arm against the man's shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Abby said apologetically, "but there's a reason I work alone and I love you guys to pieces but I can't take all this attention and staring."

"Alright," Gibbs said patiently. "Why don't we make something to eat while you do that? Is anyone hungry?"

"Will you make us more blueberry pancakes?" Abby asked. Their breakfast had been cut short by the delivery of the note and she really wanted more. Pancakes were easy to eat, no matter how upset her stomach was or how shot her nerves were.

"As long as we have the stuff," Gibbs answered. "I haven't looked through the cabinets here yet."

Tony whimpered when Gibbs removed his arm, earning him the attention of everyone in the room. "Uh, I was just gonna ask if you needed help," he said awkwardly.

"Yep," Gibbs replied. "Come on, Palmer. You too."

The heaviness of their situation lifted as the three men cooked. Tony threw blueberries at Jimmy and Jimmy tried to catch them in his mouth causing Gibbs to swat Tony's butt with a wooden spoon in mock punishment. Pancake batter was mixed up and eggs were seasoned and whisked while sausage and bacon cooked on the stove.

"How're you doing with all this, Jim?" Gibbs asked as he started pouring pancake batter onto the griddle while Tony poured the eggs in a skillet and Jimmy tended to the breakfast meats.

"I'm okay," Jimmy answered. "I know I'm safe here with you guys. Can't really ask for more."

"Except for safety and sleep and maybe a little peace of mind," Tony snarked.

"I knew there was a possibility of something like this happening when I accepted this job," Jimmy replied. "I can handle it, guys."

"Good," Gibbs said, a hint of a smile on his face. "Abs," he called into the living room, "your pancakes are almost ready."

"Will you bring 'em to me?" Abby called back. "Every second I waste eating is a second I'm not tracking down Captain Crazy Pants."

"Nice!" Tony said. He loved it when Abby used his nicknames for people.

Moments later, Gibbs was delivering a plate of food and a kiss on the top of the head to Abby in the living room while Tony and Jimmy made plates for themselves in the kitchen.

"You never kiss me on the top of the head, Boss," Tony complained when Gibbs returned.

Gibbs glared at him but after making a plate for himself, before sitting down at the table with Tony and Jimmy, he leaned over and kissed the top of Tony's head like he'd done to Abby moments earlier.

"That was kinda nice," Tony said with a smile.

Gibbs put his plate down on the table then delivered a head slap to Tony before sitting down next to him and smiling at him.

"Thank you, Boss. I was beginning to wonder if you still loved me."

"Any time," Gibbs replied.

* * *

Gibbs stood in front of the large mirror in the bathroom, carefully inspecting the gash on his chest that had been stitched up. It appeared to be healing nicely, free from infection or even an unsightly scar. There would be a small scar but it'd be thin and probably disappear beneath his chest hair with the rest of his battle wounds. The bruises on his chest were lightening and turning many shades of every color you'd find on a rainbow but it wouldn't be long before they faded too. The bullet grazes were the ugliest of his injuries but even those would soon be nothing more than a memory.

As he looked at himself in the mirror, he could hear Tony's fingers moving quickly over the keyboard in the other room and wondered what had the man so excited. He was usually more of a hunter and pecker when it came to typing but something had his fingers dancing across the keys at a much quicker pace. After one last scrutinizing look at himself in the mirror, he turned the bathroom light off and stepped into the master bedroom he was once again sharing with Tony.

"Whatcha doin'?" he asked as he lifted the blankets and slipped into bed. They'd stayed up well into the early hours of the morning again. It seemed to be a pattern they were developing.

"Nothing," Tony lied.

"Mm-hmm. Why're you lying to me, Tony? You never lie to me."

"Wasn't sure if you would approve," Tony replied innocently with a shrug of his shoulders.

"As long as you're not picking out wedding rings..."

Tony laughed uncomfortably. "I may or may not be compiling a list of suspicious FBI agents so Abby can hack into the FBI and we can search for cryptic emails or large sums of money being deposited. Sometimes it's hard to be suspicious of the people you work with but someone's obviously leaking our location to Captain Crazy Pants and I wanna know who."

"Yeah? Sacks make the list?"

"He's at the top," Tony answered with a satisfied grin. "I'm almost ready to pass the list off to Abby."

"Mm-hmm," Gibbs hummed, closing the lid of Tony's laptop before slipping down into the bed, "but not tonight. You need to sleep, Tony. Abby does too."

"Just a little longer," Tony said.

"No, Tony," Gibbs said firmly. He'd just gotten Abby to bed and he'd be just as firm with Tony if need be. "I don't even remember the last time we slept. We all need to rest."

"Bad things happen when we go to sleep, Gibbs."

"You sleeping has nothing to do with bad things happening," Gibbs pointed out. "You can pick up where you left off in the morning."

Tony frowned but he knew Gibbs was right so he set his laptop aside and sank down into the bed next to Gibbs after turning the bedside lamp off. "You're not wearing a t-shirt to bed tonight," he pointed out in the darkness of the room.

Gibbs' eyes widened when he realized Tony was right. "Forgot," he explained. He always slept in a t-shirt and pajama pants because Tony refused to wear anything more than a pair of underwear to bed.

"On purpose?" Tony asked.

"I was making sure none of my cuts or scrapes were infected," Gibbs replied. "Forgot to put a t-shirt on when I was done."

"It's kinda hot," Tony whispered cautiously.

Gibbs rolled his head on the pillow until he was facing Tony but didn't say anything.

Tony cautiously reached out and touched the almost faded nicks and cuts on Gibbs' face then let his fingers dance across the man's cheek. "I liked it when you kissed me earlier," he said quietly.

"I liked kissing you," Gibbs admitted just as quietly.

Tony ghosted his fingers across Gibbs' lips, trying to keep his hands steady despite his nerves making them shake almost uncontrollably. The two moved closer but just before their lips met, Gibbs' cell phone started ringing and they jerked apart as if someone had walked in on them.

"Shit," Tony whispered, already short of breath from the intensity of the situation.

"Son of a…" Gibbs grumbled as he reached for his phone. He flipped it open and brought it to his ear. "Gibbs," he said sharply.

There was a brief pause and some static on the line before a voice that was obviously being altered by a voice changer of some sort came over the line. _"Hello, Agent Gibbs."_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: The Second B**

"_Hello, Agent Gibbs."_

Gibbs leaned closer to Tony and tilted the phone so he could hear as well until Tony reached over and pushed the button that activated the speaker phone.

"_Suffolk County isn't Leavenworth,"_ the distorted voice said, _"but it's a start."_

"Who is this?" Gibbs asked.

"_Who isn't important, Agent Gibbs. I'd tell you but that wouldn't be in my best interest."_

"What about the best interest of all the people you've blown up this week?" Gibbs asked. "Or are you only concerned with your best interest?"

"_Gotta look out for number one, now that my brother's gone."_

"What happened to him?" Gibbs asked curiously.

"_I didn't call to talk about him, Agent Gibbs." _

"What did you call to talk about?" Gibbs' voice was patient despite wanting to crawl through the phone, wrap his hands around the man's neck and not let go until all the life left his body.

"_Nothing, really. I just wanted you to know that I'm still here, still watching, still hunting."_

"You son of a bitch! If you lay one single finger on—" Before Gibbs could complete his thought the phone went dead and in his anger Gibbs threw it across the room where it bounced off the wall before landing on the floor with a thud. The sharpness of the move had him wincing in pain as the cut on the right side of his chest was jostled without regard for his injury.

"Hey, easy," Tony said when he noticed. His hand found Gibbs' shoulder and he did his best to steady the man. He was pissed too but it appeared Gibbs needed a turn to be the broken one. Tony would be strong and allow him the moment he needed to fall apart. "Ready to get your weapon out and go shoot at the sky or something?" Tony understood Gibbs' frustration. It was everyone's frustration. It was just overwhelming them at different times and manifesting itself in different ways.

"This guy better hope I don't get my hands on him," Gibbs growled, holding both hands out in front of him as if he were waiting for their perp's neck to appear so he could strangle the man.

Tony gently held onto both of Gibbs' hands and watched the man until their eyes met and he could both see and feel Gibbs calm. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

"I'm done," Gibbs replied.

"Done?"

"I'm done sitting on the sidelines. Done moving from safe house to safe house when he already knows where we are. Damn it, I'm done letting him have all the control."

"I'm with you, Boss," Tony said. "What do we do?"

Gibbs carefully touched the cut on his chest. "Did I pull any stitches?" he asked.

Tony inspected the wound and shook his head. "No, you're good."

"We head back to the city," Gibbs said. "It's time we pay Fornell another visit."

* * *

Gibbs had calmed slightly by the time they reached the conference room where they'd been instructed to wait for Fornell. The FBI agent turned up shortly after they did with breakfast from Elaine. This time Gibbs' favorite waitress had sent over stuffed French toast topped with blueberries and strawberries and she'd sent along an entire spray can of Redi-Whip and a jug of warmed syrup. The group stared at the meal with disinterest except for the coffee that was snatched up immediately.

Before Gibbs could go off on Fornell, Fornell started going off. His anger and frustration over the situation matched everyone else's and it appeared he'd been holding it in until he exploded. Instead of giving his friend a piece of his mind, Gibbs found himself attempting to calm Fornell down.

"He's kicking our asses, Jethro!" the man all but yelled. "You guys are injured and the ones getting bounced around but nobody's getting any sleep and I don't think any of us feel safe. How the hell are we supposed to get ahead of this guy when he drains us mentally and physically? We can't even catch up with him! That's not even fair to say to you guys. Son of a bitch."

"I know," Gibbs replied, sharing in the FBI agent's frustration. "College kid offer any more leads?"

"We checked out the screen name of the person he'd been chatting with but the only thing we've found was that whoever it was that was using that screen name had tapped into the library's public wifi. We've got all the security footage but it's another needle in a haystack. This guy could be any one of thousands of people using their own laptop, tablet, phone, library computer—hell, he could've been sitting out front using some device with internet access and not even be on camera."

"So we've still got nothing," Tony pointed out.

"We're running faces through a facial recognition program and the librarians are cooperating with us but it'll take months to track everyone down."

"Delivery boy get paid?" Gibbs asked.

"Not a dime," Fornell answered. "Wouldn't mind if he was though. It'd be nice to have a financial trail to follow. Kid's just happy to be avoiding jail time."

"He dodged a bullet. You charging him?"

"Nah. He cooperated. There're worse crimes than stupidity."

"Um, guys," Abby interrupted. Everyone stopped talking and looked at Abby who was sitting at the table with her laptop in front of her. "We have a problem here."

"What is it, Abs?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, maybe Agent Fornell should wait outside," Abby said.

"Abs."

"Do I get immunity?" Abby asked.

"Sure," Fornell replied sardonically. "Just, out with it already, Abby."

"I, um, I've been working on hargaprewain into the FBI database," Abby mumbled cautiously.

"You _what_?" Gibbs asked.

"Hacking, Gibbs. I've been hacking. Alright? I said it. I've been working on hacking into the FBI database to get access to the personnel files of the sketchy agents on Tony's list."

"What?!" Fornell asked incredulously. "Sketchy agents? Hacking?!"

"What'd you find?" Gibbs interrupted.

"Someone else already hacked in. They've been accessing everything that has anything to do with this case. It's gotta be our perp. That's how he's known where we've been the whole time and that's how he got the number to Gibbs' burn phone."

"That's why he hasn't been messing with Ducky or McGee or Bishop," Fornell said, letting go of his earlier anger. "We never put them in our system."

"He probably doesn't know we split up," Tony said. "He thinks we're all together so he didn't bother looking for them."

"That's how he's been able to stay one step ahead of us," Gibbs said.

"Can you back trace the connection and figure out where he is?" Tony asked, looking over Abby's shoulder.

Abby's fingers moved furiously over the keyboard as she searched for the man who'd been taunting and tormenting them. "Got his IP address," she reported. "He's online now."

"Where?" Jimmy asked excitedly.

"Wait for it," Abby said. "Wait for it." The computer dinged and a series of numbers and codes popped up. After pressing a couple more buttons, a map with an arrow on it appeared. "Right there," Abby said, pointing at the screen.

"Send those coordinates to my phone, Abs," Fornell said, already hurrying out of the room. "You guys stay put!" he called over his shoulder.

Gibbs watched his friend go then turned back to Abby and gave her a pat on the back. "Good job, Abby."

"Let's just hope he's still there when Fornell arrives."

Any thoughts of disobeying Fornell's order to stay put and following him to the address where the computer was located were squashed when Gibbs discovered the agent right outside the door assigned to keep an eye on them. He was still too sore and too banged up to be of much help anyways so he didn't push the issue and instead sat down to try to get some of the food Elaine had prepared for them down with the rest of the group.

"Anyone wanna bet on where they're gonna send us next?" Tony asked cynically.

"Home," Abby said hopefully. "Fornell's gonna bring the bad guy back with him and we're gonna get to go home."

"My money's on a house in Prince William County," Jimmy said. "Sorry, Abs, but this all feels too easy. Whoever's after us isn't gonna be taken down easily."

"Easy? He doesn't even know that we know that he hacked us or that we pinpointed his location and we're coming for him. He'll be there waiting for Fornell to put the cuffs on him."

"Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"My money's on another hotel," Gibbs replied after a moment's hesitation. He reached out and squeezed Abby's shoulder lovingly to try to ease the sting of disappointment.

"I just want this to be over," Abby said sadly.

"He's gettin' sloppy, Abs. He's leaving clues. We're gonna figure out who this is."

Abby nodded in agreement. "I'll narrow my search parameters to anyone who did time in Leavenworth. That should narrow things down quite a bit."

"After breakfast," Gibbs said. "You need to eat."

* * *

Their premium suite at the Embassy Suites in downtown DC was nothing compared to the room they'd had at the Four Seasons but it was nothing to scoff at either. The Embassy Suites was used as a safe house by Homeland Security and to further protect the team and offer peace of mind, they hadn't been put in any system anywhere. The only people who knew where they were, were Agent Fornell and the two FBI agents who'd been protecting them, Agents Mathers and Dawson.

They were put up in a two room suite, one room with two luxurious double beds and the other a living room area with a fully stocked bar, another Keurig—much to Gibbs' disappointment, comfortable seating and a large, flat screen TV. The room didn't have much of a kitchen beyond a mini fridge, microwave and the coffee pot but the hotel offered a full, cooked-to-order breakfast and an evening reception with cocktails and snacks and, of course, there was room service.

The team didn't care much about luxury at that point. They would've been happy at the rundown motel on the corner but they were hopeful the Embassy Suites would offer them some peace of mind and a chance to get ahead of their tormentor.

"I had my people make you a copy of the hard drive from the laptop we found," Fornell told Abby. "I thought we could bypass the felony this time."

Abby shrugged sheepishly. "I was just trying to help," she said. "I can't sit around and wait for this guy to blow us up anymore."

"For the record, we were looking into the dirty agent theory. I'd do anything to protect you guys."

"I'll be back in a bit, Gibbs said, walking from the bedroom through the living room, over to the door.

"Whoa, hold it, Gibbs," Fornell said.

"What?" Gibbs asked innocently.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To get coffee," Gibbs answered.

"There's a coffee pot right there," Fornell said, motioning towards the Keurig.

"That? That thing only thinks it's smart but it doesn't have a clue how I like my coffee."

"Jethro, it's too dangerous for you to be wandering around on the streets," Fornell said with a quiet firmness that he hoped would have his friend seeing reason and staying put.

"I'm not going out to wander, Tobias. I'm getting coffee. What's the worst that could happen? Perp comes after me, I'll bring him in for ya, put an end to this mess once and for all."

"You arrogant, stubborn bastard," Fornell grumbled.

"That's what the second B is for, Tobias," Gibbs said cheerfully. "And you can tell Dawson and Mathers to stay put. I don't need any babysitters."

"You want some company, Boss?" Tony offered.

"Not this time," Gibbs said with a reassuring smile.

"You're coming back, right, Gibbs?" Abby asked.

"I'll be back before you know it," Gibbs assured her and with that, he stepped out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

Fornell paced around the room, swearing under his breath. When Mathers poked his head in the door, Fornell simply shook his, silently telling the man not to follow Gibbs but he couldn't decide if he should follow the man or not. He understood Gibbs needing space but a trip to the coffee shop felt like an unnecessary risk.

"He's gonna know if you try to follow him," Tony pointed out.

Fornell stopped pacing and looked at Tony. "You can read my mind now, too?"

Tony shrugged unapologetically. "I'm worried too," he said, "but Gibbs'll be fine."

"He always is, isn't he?" Fornell asked rhetorically.

"He's a United States Marine," Tony pointed out.

Fornell nodded and smiled uncomfortably. "I'm gonna go… do… something," he said before taking one last look at the team and leaving in a somewhat frazzled mess. He knew he couldn't follow Gibbs but he could sit in his SUV and watch until the man returned, just to make sure he was safe.

Back in the room, Tony flopped down on the couch beside Jimmy and turned the TV on while Abby sat at the table, fussing with her laptop. The change in scenery didn't even faze them that time. It was just another day in another safe house in their new normal.

* * *

Less than an hour after walking out of the Embassy Suites, Gibbs waved at Fornell who was sitting in his car watching from across the street before he walked back through the automatic doors and over to the elevators that would take him to the top floor of the hotel. Despite the chill in the air, it had been nice to get out and enjoy the fresh air as well as some time to himself. Between the elusive mad man after his team and everything that was happening between him and Tony, there was a lot going on and he needed time to get away and think but he knew staying gone for too long would be unfair to his worried team. All he needed was a cup of good coffee and an hour on his own.

After a short elevator ride, he stepped off onto the top floor and made his way down to their newest, and hopefully last, safe house and used the key card to gain entry. As soon as he stepped through the door, he could see that something was wrong and braced himself for more bad news.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's gone," Abby replied dejectedly as Tony and Jimmy looked on, neither of them knowing what to say.

"What's gone?" Gibbs asked. He leaned in behind Abby and rested a hand against her back.

"Fornell gave Abs a copy of the hard drive from the perp's laptop but the guy wiped it," Tony explained.

"Everything. It's all gone. Like gone, gone. It's almost impossible to completely erase everything from a computer hard drive but this guy did it. It's empty, Gibbs. There's literally nothing to find."

"Any chance Fornell's guys made a mistake and didn't get it copied right or something?" Gibbs asked.

"No," Abby answered. "I talked to his people while you were gone. They're running into the same thing with their copy so they got the original out and looked at it. The computer could be put back on the market and sold as brand new. Whoever this is, knows how to completely wipe a hard drive clean. That's no easy feat, Gibbs."

"Figures," Tony said. "Just when we think we're getting ahead, this happens."

"I was sure this would be the key to cracking this guy's identity," Abby said.

"Right back to square one," Jimmy added.

"Don't lose faith, guys," Gibbs said. "Every step is getting us closer. We just have to hang in there."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Headway**

Tony stretched out in the bed with his hands tucked comfortably behind his head, cradling it against the pillow. He stared out the large window in their hotel room into the night sky, the light of the moon dimmed slightly by the snow that was falling. The wind had picked up significantly, making it look like they were in the middle of a giant snow globe and other than the ominous howling each gust seemed to produce, it was kind of peaceful.

He thought back to the last time he'd been in bed, almost twenty four hours prior. Gibbs had been lying next to him and they'd been moments away from sharing their first kiss. Tony hated Captain Crazy Pants even more for interrupting while simultaneously wondering if there was any way to get the moment back. He was still lost in thought when Gibbs stepped out of the bathroom and entered the bedroom.

Homeland Security had offered two separate hotel rooms so the group could spread out but they'd decided amongst themselves that they'd rather get the suite and stick together, leaving Abby and Jimmy to share one bed and Gibbs and Tony to share the other, both in the same room. The greedy part of Tony wished they'd gotten two separate rooms so he and Gibbs could have some privacy but the friend and federal agent side of him was glad to have his friends close.

After not sleeping the night before Jimmy was already passed out in the bed closest to the door and Abby was still in the living room area of the suite, searching for a candidate that fit Gibbs and Jimmy's profile and matched up with the few clues the perp had given them.

"Snowing again?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"Yeah," Tony answered. "I haven't seen a weather forecast in days. I wonder how much we're supposed to get."

"I doubt the weatherman could tell you that," Gibbs replied with a chuckle. He lifted the blankets and slipped into the somewhat small bed next to Tony. So far they'd been sharing queen size beds. Two grown men in a full size bed was a tight fit. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

"Last night," Tony answered honestly.

"Last night was nice," Gibbs said.

"I wish we had our own room again," Tony confessed.

Gibbs looked over at Jimmy and could tell by his breathing pattern that he was sound asleep and after spending the last half hour trying to get Abby to come to bed, he knew she wouldn't be in any time soon, if at all that night. He reached over and gently tugged Tony closer to him until they were cuddled together then settled in himself.

"It's not kissing but it's something," Tony said softly, his smile evident in his voice.

In response, Gibbs pressed a wet kiss to Tony's forehead and curled his fingers into Tony's thick, soft hair.

Tony cuddled in deeper and despite the excitement of being in Gibbs' arms and the cool air against the wet lip print on his forehead allowing him to relive the kiss over and over again, days of exhaustion had sleep dragging him under much too quickly for his liking.

* * *

Gibbs rose with the sun early the next morning. Jimmy was still passed out cold in the bed next to him and Tony was still cuddled comfortably into his side. He listened carefully for the sound of Abby's fingers moving across her keyboard at warp speed but didn't hear anything. A closer look at the bed next to him told him she'd either fallen asleep at the table on top of her laptop or she'd laid down on the couch because she wasn't in the room with them.

The shift in the bed when Gibbs turned in search of Abby had Tony starting to stir. Gibbs held him tighter, hoping he'd fall back asleep but it was too late, Tony was awake.

"You're warm," Tony mumbled, curling in closer.

"Didn't mean to wake you," Gibbs replied in a whisper, not wanting his deep voice to wake Jimmy too.

Tony tilted his face towards Gibbs', smiling as the two watched each other for a few long moments. "I like waking up like this," Tony said. He wanted to close the distance between them and share some slow, lazy kisses but somehow over the course of the past day he'd lost his nerve. Scenarios of everything that could possibly go wrong flooded his head, paralyzing him with fear.

"Stop," Gibbs whispered.

"Stop?"

"Don't over think things. That only ever ends in disaster."

"I don't wanna lose you."

"I'm right here."

"You know what I mean."

Gibbs slid his face closer to Tony's ear and rubbed his nose against the man's temple. "You know what I think?" he breathed against Tony's ear. "I think you're worth the risk."

A small whimper came out of Tony's mouth against his will as Gibbs rested his head on top of Tony's. His heart fluttered in anxious anticipation as they pulled apart enough their eyes could meet. A hint of a smile crossed Tony's face as he extended his neck slightly and brushed his nose against Gibbs'.

"I wanna kiss you," he whispered.

"What's stopping you?" Gibbs asked, also in a whisper.

Tony answered by letting his lips skim against Gibbs' briefly before cautiously kissing the man.

Gibbs brought his hand up and rested it against Tony's cheek; the strong hand and long, slender fingers covered in callouses but somehow so soft and gentle against Tony's skin. The kiss went from gentle, exploratory pecks to two men trying to devour each other until Tony attempted to scoot closer and his erection bumped up against Gibbs' thigh.

Gibbs' hand remained on Tony's cheek as he pulled back, his thumb moving back and forth as he smiled sweetly at Tony. They'd gone from zero to sixty in no time flat and he didn't want to stop but not only did their minds need time to catch up to their battered and broken bodies, Jimmy was in the bed next to theirs and Abby wasn't far away either.

"Sorry," Tony said, embarrassed by the turn the situation had taken.

"Don't apologize," Gibbs replied with a patient smile. "I wanna keep going but I want to be smart about this too. I wanna protect what's happening here so it lasts."

"I get it," Tony replied understandingly, and as much as he wanted to keep going, he really did get it and a stronger relationship in the long term would be better than a quick scratch to an itch.

Gibbs let his thumb graze across Tony's lips one more time, studying the man carefully as he did. "I should go check on Abby," he said before he could change his mind and go back to making out with Tony. He slipped out of bed, still unable to take his eyes off Tony. He grabbed his hoodie from floor and tugged it on over the worn T-shirt he'd slept in then offered one final reassuring smile before he turned and headed out into the living room.

Outside, there was a fresh blanket of snow covering the city. A few inches had fallen overnight and there were still a few straggling flakes, floating peacefully to the ground. The large windows made it very picturesque and being in the hotel made it seem tranquil and relaxing as if they were on vacation but the harsh reality of their situation was difficult to forget.

Inside, the gas fireplace was running, keeping the room comfortably warm and adding a homey touch to an otherwise cold, impersonal space. Abby was still sitting at the table, the upper part of her body sprawled out next to her laptop, the screen having gone dark hours earlier.

Gibbs rested a gentle hand on her back and called her name softly to wake her. A sharp intake of air was followed by Abby bolting upright. Gibbs' hand remained on her back to calm her.

"Easy," he said. "It's just me."

"What time is it?" Abby asked, breathing heavy.

"It's early," Gibbs answered. "Why don't you go lie down in bed or on the couch?"

"I have all this work, files and suspects and—"

"That can wait," Gibbs interrupted. "Get some rest, Abs. You can lie down with Tony if you want or I think there's room next to Palmer."

"Okay," Abby finally agreed, standing slowly and getting her bearings before trying to move. It would be nice to get some real rest in an actual bed. She was kind of tired and for the first time since everything had started she actually felt safe enough to willingly go to sleep instead just waiting until she passed out somewhere.

As soon as she was on her feet Gibbs wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead before sending her off towards the bedroom while he headed for the shower.

* * *

"Mathers and Dawson are gonna flip their shit," Tony said, completely amused by Gibbs' antics.

"Let 'em," Gibbs replied without a care in the world. "If they wanted me to stay put they shoulda picked a hotel with decent coffee."

"I hate to break it to you, Jethro, but that damn Keurig is the future of coffee," Fornell said as he strolled into the room. "And you can take your shoes off because you're not going anywhere." He put the drink holder he'd brought in with him on the table and removed the cup with Gibbs' drink of choice, letting Tony, Abby and Jimmy grab their own.

"Got an update?" Gibbs asked, popping the lid off his coffee and inhaling deeply before bringing the steaming beverage to his lips.

"I have a question," Fornell replied, "for Abs."

"It's blank," Abby said, not even letting Fornell ask the question. She paused what she was doing and looked up from her laptop. After a little sleep she'd gotten right back to work and hadn't stopped since. "This guy is smart enough to wipe his hard drive well enough that I couldn't find anything on it."

"We couldn't either," Fornell said. "Neither could Homeland Security. We were hoping you'd have better luck."

"I may be able to work magic but I can't make things that aren't there appear," Abby said, getting right back to work. "I can, however, hunt this bastard down and haunt him till the day he dies."

"Do we have anything on this guy, Tobias?" Gibbs asked, looking from Abby to Fornell.

"Probably nothing more than you do," Fornell answered. He was no fool. He knew they'd most likely been working the case behind his back since day one but he couldn't fault them. He would've done the same thing. Secretly he was happy to have any help they were able to give him but he couldn't admit that without facing potential consequences.

Small talk continued while Gibbs, Tony and Jimmy picked at the breakfast plates Elaine had sent over and Abby's sat untouched beside her laptop. The sounds of her fingers against the keyboard had almost become like a comforting white noise of sorts. As soon as it stopped the room went silent and everyone stared at her, waiting for her to say something.

"I think I figured out who it is," she said in shock. "We've been looking for someone with a connection to us or Gibbs but I don't think this guy has one. Do you guys remember that high profile execution at Leavenworth last month?"

"Yeah," Jimmy answered. "The guy convicted of treason and executed because of it?"

Abby nodded. "I think his little brother is behind all this."

"Why him, Abs?" Gibbs asked, not letting himself get his hopes up. He trusted Abby implicitly but it felt a little like she'd pulled the name out of thin air and with all of them hopeful to put an end to the mess he couldn't be sure if she had the right person or if she was just desperate to put an end to the situation like the rest of them.

"Okay, so remember, Reese Kaiser, the brother that was in the Marines, wandered away from the group when they were doing patrol in Afghanistan all those years ago," Abby started.

"Yeah, and it was later found out he did it on purpose," Tony finished for her.

"Among many other things, Reese ended up helping the Taliban bomb the base he'd been stationed at," Abby continued.

"Told 'em where to hit and when to do the most damage," Gibbs said. "We lost a lot of Marines that day."

"Everybody thought it was strange because it wasn't the typical IED type bomb the Taliban normally used," Jimmy added. "That's how they caught on to the fact that Reese had defected so quickly."

Abby nodded as the group helped her tell the story. A smile crossed her face when they'd finished. "The car bomb and the bombs at Gibbs' house and Tony's apartment are the same kind of bomb that was used in the attack against Reese's former base."

A look of pure hatred crossed Tony's face as he started mumbling under his breath. "Son of a—"

"Hang on," Gibbs interrupted. "That doesn't necessarily mean he did it."

"Of course it does," Tony said angrily. "It's symbolic."

"But there's more," Abby announced. "After his brother was convicted, Braydon, that's the little brother, starting calling, emailing, even visiting anyone who would listen, trying to save his brother but the evidence they had against Reese was pretty damning and he helped kill a lot of service members so there wasn't much anyone could do and no one was taking pity on him. It probably felt to Braydon like no one was listening to him. Anyways, after the president signed the affirmative order approving the execution and death was imminent, Braydon really went off the deep end. He started making threats and vowing to get revenge. It was written off as nothing serious but the profile fits, Gibbs," she insisted. "It's gotta be him. After his brother was executed, he had nothing to lose. Plus he had plenty of time and anger to plan all this out before Reese was executed. He's getting revenge for his brother."

"This feels right, Jethro," Fornell said, taking a cautious look at the man. "It's at least worth looking into."

'_Suffolk County isn't Leavenworth but it's a start,' _Gibbs thought. _'__How does it feel to not be able to protect those closest to you?' _The words of their perp echoed in his head and coincidence couldn't explain away what Abby had found. "No," he said after contemplating everything that had been said. "It's him. This is our guy."

"Your gut, Boss?" Tony confirmed.

Gibbs looked over at him and gave a slight nod.

Fornell clasped his hands together and smiled, feeling a ray of hope for the first time. "Alright," he said happily, "we have a name."

Tony pumped his fist in the air in satisfaction. "Braydon Kaiser, we're coming for you."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Shifting Tides**

"You know, Abs," Fornell teased, "if we'd of had access to your files, we coulda put the pieces together too but I had the decency not to hack NCIS's database."

"I was just doing what I had to do!" Abby replied with no apology.

The mood in the hotel room was downright giddy after they'd been able to put a name and a face with the bad guy that had been tormenting them. After a series of phone calls, Fornell and Patterson—his Homeland Security counterpart—had some of their people researching Braydon Kaiser, another group on the way to question his parents and a third group headed for Braydon's house to execute a search warrant and pick him up on the off chance he'd been foolish enough to hang out at home. It wouldn't be long before they tracked down every former teacher, friend and acquaintance and dug up every file and record of anything that had anything to do with their twenty four year old suspect.

Once the tasks had been divided up and the teams sent on their way, Fornell had sent Mathers out to one of the finest steakhouses in DC to pick up some dinner. They were still a ways from closing the case but it seemed appropriate to celebrate the small victory. They were still in the middle of their celebration when Fornell's phone started ringing. Expecting nothing but good news, he snatched it off his belt and brought it to his ear, answering the call with a smile on his face and laughter in his voice.

"This is Fornell."

"It's Patterson," the voice on the other end of the line said. He didn't sound anywhere near as jovial as Fornell did. "Kaiser booby-trapped his apartment," the man reported. "We've got five agents heading to the hospital with serious burns."

"Son of a bitch," Fornell cursed angrily. "I'll be right there."

* * *

The moon reflecting off the snow covered ground really brightened up the night sky. The bedroom of the hotel room had curtains but nobody had closed them. It could've been that they were enjoying the view of the city lights at night or it could've been that no one cared. Gibbs was enjoying the view as he sat up, wide awake in the middle of the night while Jimmy and Abby slept soundly in the other bed in the room and Tony slept next to him.

Tony was once again shirtless and his upper body wasn't covered by any of the bedding. The small burn near his nipple had almost faded completely while the gouge near his groin where the screw had been sticking out of his body still looked deep red in color and painful. The man was guarding his broken clavicle but the sling was on the nightstand next to them while he slept.

Tony's belly dipped below his hips, leaving the waistband of his underwear not sitting flush against his body. The man was losing weight and he didn't need to be. The stress of the situation, the not eating and not sleeping were taking their toll on Tony—on all of them, really, and it bothered Gibbs that they had to go through that. It bothered him even more that he couldn't do anything to protect them, to offer them safety and security and peace of mind so they could eat and drink and sleep like they normally did.

Eight people lay in the morgue because of Braydon Kaiser and countless more, including five FBI and Homeland Security agents were in the hospital because of his actions. Gibbs wondered how many more would be hurt before they brought the twenty four year old in and got justice for his victims. The man had no conscious and no regard for human life. He was the most dangerous kind of criminal law enforcement faced and Kaiser was a prime example of why. Maybe the kid would make it into a criminal justice textbook for future police officers and investigators to study. Maybe behavioral psychologists would attempt to make sense of the nonsense that was Braydon Kaiser's mind. If Gibbs had it his way the boy would disappear into eternity. He'd earned no legacy at all. Then again, if studying him could save lives in the future, maybe there was a tiny positive that could come out of everything they'd gone through; everything they were still going through.

"Come to bed," Tony mumbled against his pillow.

Gibbs smiled as a hand flopped into his lap. Apparently Tony hadn't been sleeping as soundly as he'd thought. "I'm here," he replied.

"Come down here with me," Tony pleaded. "I sleep better when you're here."

"Liar," Gibbs goaded playfully as he eased himself down onto his back. It did feel good to lie down.

"It's the truth," Tony told the man, "and it scares me."

"Why?" Gibbs asked. He pulled the blankets up, covering both of them as he scooted closer to Tony without thought or reason.

"I think it's because I'm not used to relying on other people like that," Tony answered. "Now I'm relying on you and what if you disappear."

"I'm not going anywhere," Gibbs told him.

"It's still scary," Tony whispered.

Gibbs pressed a kiss to Tony's head before burying his nose in the man's hair and settling in for sleep. "I'm scared too, Tony," he admitted quietly, "but we'll figure this out together."

* * *

Tony didn't have any idea what time it was but it was still pitch black outside, or as pitch black it could be when the ground was covered with snow. He sighed heavily, not meaning to be so dramatic but smiled when a strong hand slipped across his belly and came to rest just above his hip on the opposite side.

"Can't sleep either?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Tony answered. "I'm tired but I can't sleep." He yawned as if to emphasize the point.

Gibbs moved his head over to Tony's pillow and brushed his nose against Tony's cheek. He brought a single finger over to Tony's chin and turned the man's face towards him. After rubbing noses, he pressed a kiss to Tony's lips.

"Mmm," Tony hummed. "Is this what you wanna do instead of sleep? 'cause I can guarantee you it's gonna have the opposite effect of making me tired. In fact, somebody's already starting to wake up."

Gibbs answered with a hesitant open mouthed kiss that soon turned possessive when Tony made it clear he was receptive. Tongues mingled together as breathing deepened and soon the two were taking turns mapping out the other's mouths as hands explored faces and necks, muscular arms and torsos.

With nothing and no one to interrupt them, the making out continued. Their hands stayed busy as their mouths explored jawlines and necks, each of them taking turns kissing and being kissed. When Tony buried his face against Gibbs' neck and started gently nibbling, Gibbs knew if he didn't stop them that they'd end up doing something would not only be awkward with Jimmy and Abby in the bed next to theirs but that they'd both regret. He wrapped his arms around Tony and held him close, whispering the man's name to get his attention. Tony raised up on his good arm and placed another kiss on Gibbs' lips before they both drew back slightly, foreheads still touching as they tried to slow their breathing.

"God, Tony, I wanna keep going," Gibbs moaned quietly.

Tony ran his tongue over his kiss swollen lips and closed his eyes, trying to etch everything that had just happened into his mind so that he'd never forget it. For once the excitement in his body overshadowed the pain he felt and he would've done just about anything to keep it going.

Gibbs tilted his head and stole another kiss before pulling back again, knowing how close to the point of no return he was.

"I love kissing you," Tony whispered, resting his fingers lightly against Gibbs' chest.

Gibbs ran his fingers down the side of Tony's face, wanting to do so much more but knowing they needed to stop immediately. He was so turned on and knew Tony was as well. It wouldn't be hard for either to persuade the other to keep going but it wasn't the time or the place. Despite knowing what needed to happen, pulling back was one of the most difficult things he'd ever done.

"I'm never gonna be able to sleep after that," Tony said.

"Let's go see if there's something on TV," Gibbs offered. Dawn was starting to break to the east. It wouldn't be long before everyone started to stir anyways.

"You already know how to sweet talk me," Tony teased.

Both men slipped out of bed and Tony grabbed the comforter and dragged it along behind him to the living room. The two sat down side by side on the couch and Tony spread the blanket out over both of them before tucking himself against Gibbs' side and resting his head on the man's shoulder while Gibbs flipped channels, looking for nothing in particular. He stopped on an old black and white western when he heard John Wayne's voice and settled in against Tony.

"This is nice," Tony mumbled. Much to his surprise he was finally starting to feel tired despite all the excitement.

"Mm-hmm," Gibbs hummed in agreement. He rested his head on top of Tony's and both of them sat quietly staring at the TV screen even though their minds were on each other and what had happened in the bedroom. They weren't the type who talked about their feelings and discussed everything that happened. Both realized that might have to change in the future but for the time being they were perfectly content watching John Wayne.

* * *

"_More explosions rocked the nation's capital yesterday evening," _the local news anchor reported. "_Three bodies were found early this morning after firefighters put out the blaze. The bodies are believed to be Cathy Pritchett, the realtor who never came home last night and Hunter and Georgia Marshall, a young couple believed to be interested in buying the home that exploded. The cause of the explosion is yet to be determined. We're working to get a statement from law enforcement as to whether this one is related to the other explosions in our area in the past week. We can't say for sure but, well, we'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. More on this story as it continues to develop."_

"We should wake them up," Abby whispered.

"I don't know," Jimmy replied. "Fornell would've called if that explosion was related to our case."

"Come on, Jimmy," Abby complained. "You don't need a degree in forensics to know they're all related. Gibbs would want to know."

"I'm still not convinced we should wake him up though," Jimmy argued quietly. "We're not allowed to investigate this case in any official capacity and he's hardly been sleeping since all this started. What's the harm in waiting till they wake up to tell them?"

Both Abby and Jimmy stood back and looked down at Gibbs and Tony, still curled up together on the couch under the blanket from their bed, sleeping soundly. Abby opened her mouth to say something else but a knock at the door had both her and Jimmy frozen in terror. Gibbs was up and hurrying towards the door in a split second and Tony was grabbing for his weapon and preparing to back his partner up if need be.

"It's Tobias," Gibbs reported tiredly as he unchained and opened the door.

Tony relaxed his stance and let his weapon drop to the table as the adrenaline high slowly dissipated.

"Forget to brush your hair this morning, Jethro?" Fornell asked, checking out the man's bedhead. "And what's with you, DiNozzo?" Tony was only wearing a pair of briefs.

"Just got up," Gibbs grumbled, combing his fingers through his hair.

"It's after 8," Fornell said in shock. His friend never, ever slept that late. "You're not dying, are you?"

"Despite Kaiser's best efforts, no," Gibbs answered, "I'm still alive and kicking. What's going on?"

"If you just got up I'm guessing it's safe to assume you haven't seen the news this morning," Fornell guessed.

Gibbs turned back towards the TV and caught sight of Abby and Jimmy looking very guilty. He was guessing they already knew about whatever bad news Fornell had for him that morning. "What happened?" he asked, cringing at the thought of another attack and more mayhem.

"There was an explosion near Stafford, Virginia last night," Fornell reported. "Any of you own property out there?" He looked at the group, all of them shaking their heads.

"Kaiser?" Gibbs asked.

"Has to be," Fornell replied, "but we can't figure out why. A realtor was showing a house to a young couple. All three of 'em are dead."

"Who owned the house?" Gibbs asked.

"It was bank owned," Fornell answered. "We're working on getting the records now to see who owned it before them." As if right on cue, Fornell's phone started ringing and he stepped out of the room to answer it.

Gibbs turned towards Abby and Jimmy, waiting for an explanation.

"We were gonna tell you," Abby said defensively. "We were having a debate about whether or not to wake you when Fornell knocked on the door. I wanted to. Jimmy didn't."

"That's not necessarily true!" Jimmy cut in. "I just wasn't convinced waking them to tell them would do any more good than waiting until they woke on their own to tell them."

"Have any of you ever owned property out in Stafford?" Gibbs asked. "Have your relatives? Friends? Any connection at all?"

The group shook their heads as Gibbs tried to figure out why Kaiser would blow up a house that had no connection to them. So far everything he did seemed to be part of a bigger plot but the explosion in Stafford felt like he was going off script and Gibbs didn't like it one bit. Was he targeting another team or agency? Was he pissed off because he couldn't find them and blowing up random buildings on random properties?

"I think we caught our first break," Fornell said excitedly as he reentered the conversation once his phone call had ended. "Bank records show the property belonged to Reese Kaiser. Payments weren't kept up and it was foreclosed on shortly after he went to prison."

"But why would Braydon blow his brother's house up?" Jimmy asked.

"Unless he was hiding out there," Tony said, catching onto Fornell's excitement, "and he wasn't expecting the realtor and young couple. I bet he didn't have a choice. He was discovered and he _had _to blow up that house."

"And now he's on the run," Abby said.

"How bad's the house?" Gibbs asked.

"I'm on my way out there now," Fornell answered, "but the fire department's less than a mile from the home. I heard they got the fire under control quickly. Hopefully this little theory is right and little brother left behind some evidence for us."

As much as Gibbs wanted to demand Fornell take him along, he knew the FBI agent would never agree to that and it would just waste precious time. "Keep us updated," he said instead, even though it killed him.

"As soon as I know something, you guys'll know something," Fornell replied.

* * *

The group headed down to the first floor of the Embassy Suites to check out the free hot breakfast the hotel boasted about every opportunity they got. There was a beautiful spread of fresh fruits and juices, hot and cold cereals, donuts and bagels with all the fixings and a buffet with pancakes and waffles, bacon and sausage, eggs and hash browns; not to mention a choice between light, medium and dark roast coffee with a healthy selection of creamers and different types of sweeteners.

Tony's eyes were bigger than his stomach and he returned to the table with two plates while Gibbs didn't get anything more than a cup of dark roast coffee. Abby grabbed a banana and some peanut butter to go along with her glass of fresh squeezed orange pineapple juice while Jimmy's plate had pancakes and sausage links drowning in syrup.

"Sit down, Gibbs," Tony urged. "You standing over us is gonna draw attention."

Gibbs looked around the room before reluctantly sitting. Tony was right and even though they'd caught the tail end of breakfast and the room was emptying out, they didn't need any undue attention.

"Help me eat some of this," Tony said, handing the man an extra fork. "I got too much."

"I'm not hungry," Gibbs muttered. All he could think about was Fornell at the house and what they'd found. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked to make sure he didn't miss a call.

"Fornell's not gonna call and ask you to come help, Boss," Tony said. "You might as well eat."

"I shoulda insisted on going with him," Gibbs said regretfully.

"You know as well as I do that wouldn't have worked," Tony said.

"I'm glad you're here," Abby told the man. "It makes me feel safe."

Gibbs offered Abby a genuine smile before putting his cell phone on the table and reluctantly taking the extra fork Tony was still holding out to him. He couldn't help but wonder if Tony had gotten too much on purpose. Was it the man's way of taking care of him, of making sure he ate?

After breakfast the group took their time making their way back to the room. None of them were in a hurry to get back and be stuck there for who knew how long. As they wandered the vacant halls headed nowhere in particular, Gibbs' phone alerted him to a new text message and, still without his glasses, he passed it to Tony to read to him.

"It's from Fornell," Tony reported. "All it says is jackpot."

"That sounds promising," Jimmy said.

The phone made the same noise again and Tony navigated to the new message. "Fire department did good work," he read. "Sifting through a mountain of evidence. Call you when we have something concrete." Tony flipped Gibbs' phone closed and handed it to the man. "A mountain of evidence? We got him, Boss."

"I hate sitting here doing nothing," Gibbs grumbled.

"We're not doing nothing," Abby said. "We're healing."

Gibbs looked at her skeptically, an unimpressed smile on his face. "We're doing nothing, Abs."

"Okay, so we're doing nothing," Abby admitted, "but Braydon's on the run. He's got nowhere to go. We interrupted his evil plan and now we have the upper hand."

"That makes him even more dangerous, Abs," Gibbs told her gently. "We're not out of the woods yet." He didn't want any of them getting careless and ending up getting hurt by Braydon again. It was important they all continued to watch their sixes and watch out for each other but Abby was right, they had interrupted his evil plan and now they had the upper hand. It was their turn.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Dangerous Games**

Gibbs watched the news on the small TV screen behind the counter of the drugstore while he waited for the clerk to finish checking out the customer in front of him. Braydon Kaiser's picture seemed as if it were permanently affixed in the top corner of the screen while the news anchor reminded the city of all the chaos the twenty four year old had allegedly caused over the past several days. The phone number to the task force hotline was showing predominantly at the bottom of the screen in large, bold, white letters, just above the scrolling marquee prompting anyone with any information to call.

"Good morning, Sir," the clerk greeted when it was Gibbs' turn.

"Mornin'," Gibbs greeted, laying his purchases on the counter: a pair of sharp pointed surgical scissors, a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some reading glasses in his prescription to replace the ones he'd lost what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Can I get you anything else today?" the clerk offered.

"Actually, yes," Gibbs answered, backing away from the counter to check out the selection of candy bars lined up on the shelves beneath it. None of them needed the junk food but it would be a nice treat. He selected everyone's favorite candy before handing the clerk his debit card. "That'll be all, Kenzie," he said, reading the young lady's name badge.

Kenzie rang Gibbs up, ran his debit card and put the receipt in the bag with his purchases before sending him on his way with a smile.

After leaving the drugstore, Gibbs strolled along the busy street, ducking into the coffee shop on the corner near the hotel before continuing on his way. Morning rush hour had just begun and the city was becoming more and more alive as people hurried to get to work on time. Jethro was one of the few people who weren't in a hurry. His busted up ankle was healing quite nicely but he knew anything more than a leisurely pace would aggravate it and slow his recovery down. There was no reason for him to hurry, anyways.

About an hour after he'd left earlier that morning, Jethro pushed his keycard into the slot on the door and waited for the lights to turn from red to green before opening the door and entering. Tony, Abby and Jimmy looked up from where they were sitting and smiled when they saw the drink carrier with four cups of coffee.

"You're my hero, Boss," Tony said, immediately rising and taking the coffees from Gibbs. He passed them out according to the markings on the cups before taking a long, satisfied swig of the one Gibbs had bought for him. "Hazelnutty heaven," he said dreamily.

"You're gonna earn it today," Gibbs said, crooking a finger at Tony as he walked towards the bathroom. "With me. C'mon."

Tony followed without question and watched as Gibbs put the bag of goodies on the counter once they were in the bathroom with the door closed and locked. "Is one of those candy bars for me?" Tony asked.

"You ever taken stitches out before?" Gibbs asked, tossing him the Snickers bar he'd chosen for him.

"It's been awhile but yeah," Tony answered.

"Good," Gibbs replied, carefully tugging his shirt over his head and dropping it to the floor. "I can't see well enough to take these out," he said, indicating the stitches in his chest, above his line of vision. He pulled the surgical scissors out of the bag and handed them to Tony.

"Are you gonna take mine out too?" Tony asked, opening the packaging the scissors were in.

Gibbs pulled the reading glasses he'd purchased out of the bag as well and showed them to Tony. "If you want me to."

"I want you to," Tony replied without hesitation. "They itch and they're driving me crazy."

Tony washed his hands then carefully went about the slow process of snipping away the tiny stitches that had held the once gaping wound on Gibbs' chest closed so it could heal. Once he was finished with that cut, he moved on to the much smaller cut just above the man's hip bone and removed the stitches from it as well, despite Gibbs insisting he could take care of that one on his own.

"You know," Tony said, watching as Gibbs sterilized the scissors with the rubbing alcohol, "if NCIS doesn't work out for us, we could be those people who patch up bad guys when they can't go to the hospital. I hear they make a lot of money."

"Yeah, and more often than not they end up six feet under 'cause the bad guys don't trust 'em to keep their mouths shut," Gibbs replied. "Not to mention, neither of us have enough medical knowledge for that kind of thing."

"A few minor issues to overcome," Tony admitted.

Gibbs smiled at Tony as he slipped the glasses on. He tilted Tony's head up so that the bright bathroom lights were shining directly on the small cut above his eyebrow that had been stitched.

"Have you ever done this before?" Tony asked, closing his eyes to protect them from the lights.

"Plenty of times," Gibbs answered, carefully snipping each of the stitches and then inspecting his work. "I've even stitched someone up before too, although it didn't look anywhere near as nice as this."

"You stitched someone up?" Tony asked in awe. "Who? When? Where?" He opened his eyes and looked at his boss excitedly, almost as if he were a toddler waiting to hear a bedtime story.

"I'll tell you about it later," Gibbs replied. "Can you get yourself up here or do you need to sit on the toilet?" he asked, patting the bathroom counter. It would be easier if Tony could get his leg closer to the bright lights above the bathroom sink but Gibbs would make due if he couldn't.

Tony cautiously scooted himself up onto the counter next to the sink, using his one good arm for balance. His achy body protested as he stretched and moved more than he had been but Tony pushed through the pain, knowing it'd be easier for Gibbs if he could get himself closer to the lights and prevent the man from having to bend over or kneel while he worked.

"Ready?" Gibbs asked.

Tony's hand went to his lap, knowing with all the attention that there would soon be a bulge in his briefs and not wanting anything to distract Gibbs when he was snipping the tiny stitches so close to a delicate part of his body. "I'm good," he replied.

Gibbs smiled when he noticed but didn't say anything about it.

"What are you two doing in there?" Abby asked from the other side of the door.

"Nothing, Abs," Gibbs replied. "We'll be out in a minute."

"I don't believe you," Abby called back.

"Watch your movie," Gibbs said.

"It's not a movie. It's a crime drama and it just ended."

"We'll be out in a minute, Abs," Gibbs said again. "Drink your coffee. Or better yet, have room service bring us up some breakfast."

"Your phone was ringing so I answered it. Fornell's coming over to brief us," Abby said. "Elaine's sending breakfast. Are you sure I can't come in? I'm very curious about what's going on in there."

"I'm sure," Gibbs called, rolling his eyes at Tony despite the smile he had on his face. He should've known Abby's curiosity would get the better of her.

"Boss has a sharp, pointy object very close to my groin, Abs," Tony called, "so if you could not distract him, that'd be great!"

"Huh?" Abby shrieked.

"We'll be out in a minute, Abs," Gibbs said for the third time. "It'll be even sooner if stop talking to me and let me get this done."

"Okay, fine," Abby agreed, "but just so you know, you two are really scaring me."

Gibbs winked at Tony and waited to make sure Abby was really gone before he started clipping the stitches in Tony's leg. He carefully worked his way up from just above Tony's knee across the length of his inner thigh, almost to his groin.

"What do you think Elaine's sending us this morning?" Tony asked. Gibbs was taking forever and not only was he bored, his mind was starting to wander and the closer Gibbs' hands got to his crotch, the dirtier his thoughts got. He needed a distraction.

"Don't know," Gibbs answered, "but whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be delicious."

"Are you almost done?" Tony asked. For some reason, he couldn't bear to watch what Gibbs was doing but it felt like he should've been done already.

Gibbs rested his hand on top of Tony's and gently moved his growing bulge over, the unexpected contact causing Tony to shudder as surges of excitement spread throughout his body. "Only a couple more," Gibbs answered. He finished up then gently ran his thumb over the length of the scar. "It's healing nicely," he said.

The stimulation sent more tingles through Tony's body and made it clear he'd have to find a pair of pants to put on before rejoining the group. He may have been shameless but he still had his pride. "Are you done?" he choked out, trying desperately to keep his mind from heading straight into the gutter.

"Yep," Gibbs answered. "Sit tight. I'll get you a pair of pants."

"Thank you, Boss."

Moments later an adequately dressed Tony followed by Gibbs rejoined the group in the living room. Both Abby and Jimmy gave them scrutinizing looks but Abby's quickly turned into a bright smile.

"Awe," she said, noticing immediately that the stitches above Tony's eye were missing. "You don't look like Frankenstein's baby anymore."

"You took your stitches out?!" Jimmy asked incredulously, looking carefully at the scar above Tony's eye. "How'd you take your stitches out?"

"I didn't," Tony answered.

"I did," Gibbs cut in with a proud smile.

"You guys really should've gone back to the hospital for that," Jimmy said. "There's risk of infection and what if the cut wasn't closed all the way and—"

"Relax, Jimmy," Abby interrupted, amused by his panic, "they know what they're doing. They do the same thing to Ducky all the time."

"Well I'm gonna have to insist you guys still go to your doctor appointments tomorrow," Jimmy said, trying to maintain his composure and some sense of authority.

"There's a mad man on the loose, Palmer," Tony replied dramatically. "We don't have time to waste at the doctor."

"Time to waste?" Jimmy shrieked again. "We've been sitting around watching TV all day. Besides, if your collarbone isn't healing properly it could lead to all kinds of problems down the road. And you, Agent Gibbs—"

"Relax, Palmer," Gibbs interrupted. "Save the lecture for later, will ya?"

Before Jimmy could respond there was a knock at the door. Tony peered through the peep hole before swinging it open.

"Breakfast is here!" he announced happily.

"Good morning to you too, Tony," Fornell said sarcastically. "It's nice to see you as well."

"Oh, hi, Fornell," Tony said but he was much more interested in what Elaine had sent over for breakfast. The better he felt, the hungrier he was and he'd always been a fan of the food at Gibbs' diner. He sometimes wondered if it was simply because it was something special he could share with Gibbs but even the takeout the woman had been supplying them with was fantastic. Even still, the diner would always hold a special place in his heart and there was no denying that the connection to Gibbs was a big part of the reason for that. "Giant cinnamon rolls smothered in icing!" he announced happily.

"Is it my birthday?!" Abby asked excitedly.

"She sent enough to feed half the building," Tony reported, pulling two containers of the still warm pastries out of the bag along with a big bowl fresh chopped fruit.

"We're not sharing with half the building," Jimmy said, his mouth watering as he looked over Tony's shoulder.

"We're not sharing with anyone," Tony clarified. "You want one, Boss?"

"Yeah, and some of that fruit," Gibbs answered before turning back to Fornell. "What do ya got, Tobias? Tell me you have more than you did yesterday."

"We talked to the kid's parents," Fornell replied. "Brayden was a normal kid until the age of fourteen when his brother walked away from his unit while they were out on patrol. The parents said Brayden's downward spiral got progressively worse as Reese, the brother, was first considered a deserter and later found to be selling valuable military intel. It all went to hell when he was tried and convicted of treason and subsequently sentenced to death."

"Big brothers are sometimes just as much heroes as dads are," Abby said.

"Especially when there's, what, a ten year age difference," Gibbs pointed out.

"I got the impression that's what kind of relationship Braydon and Reese had growing up," Fornell said. "According to mom, Braydon's incredibly smart," he continued. "He graduated from high school early and went on to get an engineering degree. Mom also said that Braydon was the kind of kid that always had his nose in a book and he has a natural ability to teach himself anything but he also has a difficult time making friends."

"Because he's so smart?" Jimmy asked, thrilled that Fornell was describing someone that seemed to fit his and Gibbs' profile almost perfectly.

"Dad had no problem outing his kid as someone who's self-centered and opinionated. Ever since Reese was arrested Braydon turned into a close-minded know it all who won't listen to reason. Apparently he's not all bad though. Dad made a point of mentioning that Braydon always has a pocket full of change to give to the homeless."

"Well that makes everything okay then," Tony said sarcastically as he delivered a plate with a giant cinnamon roll and a bowl of fruit to Gibbs. "It's okay to blow up anyone you want as long as you toss a few quarters to the homeless."

"Where are we on locating him?" Gibbs asked.

"Local, state and federal agencies are on the lookout. We've got Kaiser's picture on every news station in the country," Fornell replied. "Tips are pouring in. We're chasing them down as fast as we can. We're close, Jethro. This guy can't hide forever; not with everyone in the nation looking for him."

"Let's just hope there's no more bloodshed before we bring him in," Gibbs replied. "You staying for breakfast today?"

"I should say no and confess that Elaine already gave me a cinnamon roll when I stopped by to pick this up," Fornell said, "but there's no way in hell I'm passing up a chance to have another!"

* * *

The warm water felt good on Tony's achy body. He'd never thought about the lasting effects being blown up could have on a person, even when Gibbs had been blown up all those years ago. Granted, Gibbs had done most of his long term recovering on a beach in Baja but that was no excuse. Not when Tony had always cared so deeply about the man.

The hot bath was working miracles on his battered body. He was usually more of a shower guy but after getting his stitches out, he'd decided a soak in the tub would be nice, especially considering the tub was an oversized, luxurious tub with jets and everything. He wasn't one to pass up a little extravagance.

He smiled as he thought about the progress they were making with the case. They had a name and BOLOs out everywhere. They had Kaiser off his game and on the run which was when most of the smarter criminals usually made their mistakes. On top of that, they'd figured out how their location and personal information was continually being compromised, allowing them to fix the problem and get a little peace of mind. It wouldn't be long before they could all go home and put the whole mess behind them.

Home.

The smile on Tony's face faded as he thought about it. He didn't have a home anymore. His home had been the epicenter of an explosion that had killed seven people; seven of his neighbors. His home was gone. He had nowhere to go and just as bad, he had nothing left. He swallowed hard, contemplating the thought.

The bathroom door opened and closed bringing a rush of cool air. Gibbs walked over to the toilet and lifted the lid and seat as he unzipped his fly and freed himself. He said nothing as he casually emptied his bladder almost making it feel as if he and Tony were a couple who'd been married for years and it was just a part of their normal, everyday routine.

Tony watched as the man shook himself dry before tucking his penis back into his pants and flushing the toilet.

"What's wrong?" Gibbs asked, lowering the lid of the toilet before turning and sitting.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, still watching the man carefully. He hoped Gibbs couldn't see into the tub too well because knowing he'd just had his cock out had Tony starting to get hard.

"No wisecracks? No snarky comments? Something's on your mind and I wanna know what it is."

Tony shrugged, slipping farther into the tub in an effort to hide his growing problem. Gibbs didn't move from his casual perch on the toilet.

"It's gone."

"What's gone?"

"I was just sitting here thinking about home," Tony answered. His eyes stayed locked on Gibbs', fascinated by how the man appeared to have the ability to peer into his soul, past all the bravado and bull shit and see what was truly going on inside Tony's head. "If we're lucky this case'll be over soon and we can all go home," he continued after a brief silence, "but I don't have one anymore. I don't have a home, Gibbs."

"Yeah," Gibbs said, "me either, but we still have each other."

"I suppose that's something to be thankful for." _Unlike the families of the seven people who were killed,_ he added mentally.

"Thanks a lot," Gibbs replied with a sarcastic chuckle.

"I didn't mean it like that," Tony said defensively.

"I know how you meant it," Gibbs said. He waited and watched for a moment before continuing. "Would it help if I told you it wasn't your fault again?"

Tony shook his head back and forth, his eyes focused on the bathwater. "No, but we don't need to get into that whole spiel again."

"As long as you don't get lost in your headspace, Tony, and you tell me if you do," Gibbs added firmly. He couldn't take care of his loved ones if he didn't know what the problem was.

"I will," Tony agreed with a convincing nod.

Gibbs leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together.

Tony watched him carefully, even though his excitement was waning with the dark shift in his thoughts. Even so, he couldn't help the wisecrack that came out almost thoughtlessly. "Jethro Gibbs, are you trying to get a peek at me?"

One corner of Gibbs' mouth turned up into a devious smirk. "I've already seen everything there is to see," he replied.

Tony laughed awkwardly, unsure exactly how to respond to what Gibbs had said, but thankfully the man saved him from having to say anything.

"You coming to bed or are you gonna sit up for a little while?"

"Depends," Tony replied.

"On?"

"Well, what're you gonna do?"

The smirk on Gibbs' face turned to an all-out smile. The huggy bear kissy face touchy feely game they were playing was turning into a dangerous game that involved feelings and emotions and all kinds of things that were complicated as hell but that was okay because Gibbs liked dangerous and the only things worth having in life were complicated as hell.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Check and Mate**

"Our stitches are out," Tony pointed out. He and Gibbs were alone in the bedroom getting ready for the day even though it was already pushing 11:00.

"Does that mean you're gonna start wearing pants again?" Gibbs asked, tugging the cleanest of his dirty shirts over his head. They were going to have to hit the laundromat soon or things were going to get ugly.

"I never wear pants, Gibbs," Tony informed the man. "The stitches were just a legitimate excuse."

"It's not appropriate to walk around here in your underwear, Tony," Gibbs informed the man. "Abs is here—"

"Abby's seen me in my underwear more times than I could even begin to count," Tony interrupted.

"We've got FBI agents coming and going all the time," Gibbs continued. "Hell, half the time they don't even knock. The shades on the window are always hanging wide open. The maid stops by daily."

The smile on Tony's face grew and grew with each person Gibbs listed. He was enjoying watching the man try to reason his way into getting what he wanted without coming out with what Tony was sure was the real reason Gibbs wanted him to get dressed. Tony wouldn't be Tony if he didn't call the man out on it. "You know what I think?"

"I don't wanna know what you think," Gibbs replied.

"I think you have a powerful possessive streak running through you," Tony said, despite Gibbs' comment. "I think you get jealous at the thought of anyone seeing anything because regardless of what is or might be happening between us, you feel like my body is for your eyes only and you, Jethro Gibbs, do not share, do you?"

"Damn right I don't," Gibbs said with a fierce possessiveness. The shocked look didn't cross his face until after he realized what he'd said but by then there was no taking it back. Still, he wanted to head slap the smug, satisfied grin off Tony's face.

"As I was saying," Tony repeated, sensing the need for a change in conversation, "our stitches are out. We could, I don't know, do stuff."

"Stuff?"

"You know what kind of stuff I'm talking about."

"Where, Tony?" Gibbs asked. "We're in a five hundred square foot hotel suite with Palmer and Abs."

"I just figured we could be creative," Tony said, "or kick them out."

Gibbs reached out and touched Tony's cheek, wanting nothing more than to do so much more but knowing it wasn't the time or place, not with Abby and Jimmy sharing the suite and constant interruptions from FBI agents. "It'll be so much better if we wait."

Tony leaned into Gibbs' touch and closed his eyes. He'd known nothing was going to happen but the conversation had gone from teasing to serious and he had a question. "What if all the waiting is futile? What if this Braydon Kaiser thing is bigger than us? What if we don't come back from it?"

"It is bigger than us," Gibbs answered with a shrug, "and as hard as it is to accept it and admit it's needed, that's why Fornell took the lead on this one and that's even why Fornell brought in Homeland Security. We're gonna figure this out and we're gonna go home again and go back to work. We're gonna be normal again, Tony. The waiting isn't futile. I promise."

"Dawson and Mathers are here and they wanna talk to you guys," Abby called from the other room.

"We'll be a right out Gibbs replied, his eyes not moving from Tony's. He brushed his thumb over Tony's lips before leaning in and kissing him. "Now put your pants on," he said, his forehead resting against Tony's, "let's go see what Dawson and Mathers want."

Tony grabbed the pair of jeans he'd worn the day before and wiggled into them on under Gibbs' watchful eye then grabbed the comfy flannel shirt Gibbs had loaned him the first day they'd gone into hiding and buttoned it up as he followed Gibbs out into the living room where Jimmy was flipping channels.

"Kaiser surfaced," Mathers reported. "He tried to get money out of the ATM but we froze his accounts."

"I bet that made him happy," Tony said.

"Pissed him off enough to take a bank full of people hostage," Mathers replied.

Jimmy stopped flipping channels when he found the news station covering the hostage situation live and all eyes turned to the TV.

"Fornell's on his way there now," Dawson said. "As soon as DC Metro realized they had Kaiser in the bank they called us."

"We should head down there too," Tony said.

"Fornell will let us know if he wants us there," Mathers said.

"We wait," Gibbs agreed after thinking it through. "Our presence could potentially make the situation worse."

"You mean I got dressed for nothing?" Tony joked.

Gibbs looked over at Tony and smiled. "Mathers is right," he said, "Fornell will let us know if he wants us there. Until then we wait."

The group did their best to keep themselves busy while they waited and watched the hostage situation at the bank not far from their hotel unfold. Dawson and Mathers gave them regular updates provided by fellow agents on the ground at the scene but it was over an hour into the situation before any of them heard from Fornell. Tony sat on the edge of his seat, rearing to be on scene, while Abby and Jimmy feared the call meant they'd soon be face to face with the monster terrorizing their city. All three of them held their breaths when Gibbs hung up his phone and looked at them.

"Kaiser's demanding to speak to me," Gibbs said.

"You're not going down there without me," Tony said firmly.

"Fornell and I talked about it and we agreed I should go," Gibbs continued. "He's got someone on the way to pick Tony and I up. Abs, Jim, I need you guys to stay here with Mathers and Dawson. There's no reason for you two to put yourselves in harm's way. You guys okay with that?"

Jimmy shrugged and agreed with a nod of his head.

"I just wish you guys didn't have to go," Abby said, a little less stoically than her friend.

Gibbs smiled sympathetically, sat down next to her, wrapped his arm around her and hugged her to his side. "We'll be okay," he promised softly before kissing her head. "We'll be back before you know it. Kaiser'll be in custody and we can all put this behind us. In fact, why don't you and Jimmy start packing?"

"Really?" Jimmy asked, trying not to get his hopes up. Everything was starting to happen really fast and it still seemed too good to be true. Was it really okay to let himself get excited?

"Really," Gibbs replied, confident this was a promise he could actually deliver on. "Just hang in there with us a little longer, guys."

While Jimmy and Abby stayed behind worrying, watching the live footage on the news and packing their things with cautious optimism, two FBI agents sent by Fornell whisked Gibbs and Tony off to the scene of the hostage situation. Both knew what to expect after watching the news feed. Their escorts parked on the outskirts of the perimeter and both were handed a Kevlar vest before being taken to Fornell who was much closer to the action.

"What do we got?" Gibbs asked, helping Tony get his vest on.

"We count eighteen people in the bank," Fornell reported. "That's as accurate of a count as we're gonna get. Kaiser's a powder keg waiting to go off. He says he'll only speak to you."

"Anyone hurt?" Tony asked.

"We can't tell," Fornell answered, "but as out of control and unpredictable as Kaiser is, we need to put an end to this quickly or someone will be."

"What's our plan?" Gibbs asked.

"You get him talking, distract him while SWAT enters through the back and takes control of the situation," Fornell answered.

"Sounds risky," Gibbs said. "Show me."

The group stepped into the surveillance truck where Fornell pulled out the blueprints to the bank and brought Gibbs up to speed on the plan, admitting it wasn't perfect by any means but it was their best option at that point. After a few questions and suggestions and contingency plans, both agents were on the same page and ready to brief their men so they could put an end to the situation before it went from bad to worse.

"I really wanna go in with SWAT," Tony told Gibbs quietly.

"I know," Gibbs said just as softly, "but that wouldn't be wise and you know it."

The heavy sigh told Gibbs he was right, Tony knew it. He playfully chucked the man on the chin before handing him a pair of headphones so he could listen in on his conversation with the dangerously out of control twenty four year old and Tony dutifully slipped them into place. Gibbs waited until Fornell and the SWAT team were in place and gave him the signal before trying to contact Kaiser.

"_If this isn't Agent Gibbs someone is going to die right now!"_ the young man yelled into the phone receiver.

"Special Agent," Gibbs corrected coolly. "Why are you so angry, Braydon? I haven't even said hello yet."

There was a brief hesitation on the line as Braydon attempted to make sense of what Gibbs was saying. He wasn't expecting the man he'd been hunting and haunting for over a week to be so calm, cool and collected or have the guts to correct him. _"I'm not angry at you,"_ he snapped.

"Good," Gibbs replied, letting Braydon hear the smile in his voice. "That means we can figure this out together."

"_There's nothing to figure out,"_ Braydon said.

"Braydon, you're holding a bank full of people hostage," Gibbs pointed out. "Either I need to go down to the post office and get you a change of address form and have some furniture delivered or we gotta come up with a plan to get you out of there. Either way we got stuff to figure out."

"_I—I need money,"_ Braydon stuttered.

Gibbs watched through the binoculars as Braydon scratched his head in confusion. The kid didn't know what to make of him which was good. Somebody needed to keep Braydon on his toes. "That's good. You're in a bank. We can definitely get you some money. What else do you need, Braydon?"

"_Just like that?"_ Braydon asked angrily. _"I know it's not that easy. You're trying to trick me!"_

"How, Braydon?" Gibbs asked, still as calm as could be. "You asked for money. I told you we could get you money. How is that a trick?" There was silence over the line for a moment and Gibbs worried he might've lost the kid. The last thing he wanted to do was push him too far. "Why did you chose me, Braydon? We've never met before."

"_I chose you because you're the best,"_ Braydon answered as if Gibbs were stupid for even asking the questions. _"You have the most medals. Your name is in the paper the most often."_

"I don't read the paper, Braydon," Gibbs replied, "and my Second keeps the medals in a locked box in his desk."

"_So you're not an arrogant, know it all bastard like the others,"_ Braydon said. _"I chose right this time. I can get somewhere with you."_

"Where are we going then?" Gibbs asked. "What do you need?"

"_I want out of here,"_ Braydon answered.

"Oh, we'll get you out of there alright," Tony snarked quietly from his spot next to Gibbs.

"Alright," Gibbs said. "We can work on that. What else do you want, Braydon?"

Frustrated with Gibbs' nonchalance and seeming willingness to give him whatever he wanted, Braydon decided to ask for something Gibbs couldn't give him. _"I want Reese,"_ he said. _"I want my brother."_

"I can't bring your brother back, Braydon. You're a smart guy, you know that. You're also smart enough to know that what you're doing isn't helping his legacy at all. Why don't you come on out and we can talk about this face to face over a cup of coffee."

"_Yeah, with me in shackles!"_ Braydon protested.

"Yeah, probably," Gibbs agreed, "but you knew it was gonna come to this eventually, before you ever shot up that safe house. If you still think there's a way out of this, we can keep talking, try to figure out a way to get you your money and send you on your way or you can man up and take responsibility for what you've done. What's it gonna be, Braydon?"

"Hold off," Tony whispered into the comm. He didn't want SWAT going in if Braydon was willing to walk out the front door. Leave it to Gibbs to figure out the kid needed a stern father figure to slap him with some hard truths in a way that didn't insult his intelligence but instead motivated him to do what they needed him to do to prevent any more bloodshed. And of course the man had done it all in what had to be record time.

"_I didn't mean to kill that kid,"_ Braydon said. _"I would never kill a kid."_

"Nathan," Gibbs replied, "his name was Nathan." He paused briefly before continuing without judgment or any sharpness in his tone. "Do you have any kids in the bank with you right now?"

"_Two,"_ Braydon answered hesitantly.

"Let's put an end to this before they get hurt too, Braydon."

"_I don't know,"_ Braydon said.

"You did all this to get my attention, Braydon," Gibbs said. "You got it. This is gonna end one way or another and right now you have the power to end it in a way that gets you whatever answers you're after but if somebody else ends up getting hurt, all bets are off. And, Braydon, the longer this goes on, the higher the chance of someone else getting hurt. Put your weapon down, put your hands up and walk out that door for me and let's figure this out together, like men."

"_I'll only talk to you, Special Agent Gibbs."_

Despite correcting the kid at the beginning of their conversation, Gibbs was still surprised Braydon addressed him with the correct title. The small sign of respect gave him hope that what he was doing was working. "I'm not asking you to talk to anyone else," he said.

Braydon looked at all the people lying face down on the floor of the bank, some of them quiet and as calm as possible under the circumstances while others whimpered and cried in overwhelming fear. He looked out the windows at the army of law enforcement officers and knew his only two ways out of there were in cuffs or a body bag and he preferred the former. Cuffs gave him hope; gave him time to set his plan b in motion. He hadn't planned on being cornered so quickly but luckily he'd come up with a contingency plan. This wasn't over. No, far from it. _"Alright,"_ he said. _"I'll come out."_

"Just do what the cops tell you and you won't get hurt," Gibbs told him while Tony quickly briefed everyone on what was happening.

Braydon lowered his weapon to the floor of the bank, raised his arms and rested his hands on the back of his head before stepping out the front door and looking around. Fornell, who had made his way back around to the front of the bank when it starting becoming clear Gibbs was going to be able to talk the young man out of the bank, ordered Braydon to turn around slowly before lowering himself to his knees and then his face. Once he was sure there was no threat, he approached cautiously with a handful of agents around him and cuffed the twenty four year old before pulling him to his feet.

"Where's Special Agent Gibbs?" Braydon asked.

Fornell frisked the kid then looked to his left where Gibbs was standing twenty feet away next to Tony beside the van they'd both just stepped out of and raised his chin in greeting. Gibbs offered an informal salute and watched as Braydon Kaiser was loaded into the back of one of the FBI's SUVs, the kid's eyes not leaving his until the tinted windows of the suburban forced them to.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Waiting in Limbo**

"You okay going in there by yourself?" Fornell asked, eyeballing Gibbs warily. He didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit but that could've just been because it meant he was giving in to Kaiser's demands and he hated giving in to the demands of little punks with big egos. "Can you fight?" He was only half joking.

Gibbs looked skeptically back at his friend. "He's in shackles and handcuffed to the table, Tobias," he said. "What's he gonna do to me?"

"The kid's resourceful," Fornell pointed out. "He's spent the last several days trying to take you out. Forgive me for being concerned."

"I'll be fine," Gibbs replied confidently before turning and taking another step towards the door.

"I'm still not sure we should be sending you in there at all," Fornell called. "I don't like giving in to this little punk's demands. We should be calling the shots, not him."

Gibbs stopped and turned back towards his friend. "We're not giving in, Tobias," he said. "This is the best way to get the information we need. You've been around the block enough times to know how this works."

"Yeah, well, doesn't mean I have to like it."

"I don't like it either," Gibbs said, "but if it means putting this behind us…" He let his sentence trail off, finishing it with a look instead. At Fornell's slight nod, Gibbs turned and headed towards the observation room door and opened it but stopped and turned back to his friend before exiting. "This feel too easy to you, Tobias?" he asked.

"Yeah," Fornell answered with a nod, "and that's what scares me most."

"Me too," Gibbs called over his shoulder before stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he knew he needed to do before opening the door to the interrogation room where Braydon Kaiser was waiting. It had been a couple hours since he'd last spoken with the young man. Kaiser had been processed into the system, stripped, searched and redressed into the orange jumpsuit that identified him as a prisoner. He was simply waiting on charges to be filed. Gibbs' interrogation would help determine the full extent of the charges the young man would be brought up on.

"You kept your promise," Braydon said as soon as Gibbs entered.

"I always keep my promises, Braydon," Gibbs replied, sitting down in front the young man. "Can I get you anything before we get started?"

Braydon shook his head. "I really don't have much to talk about Agent, uh, Special Agent Gibbs," Braydon said. "I've done some soul searching and come to realize nothing's going to bring Reese back."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Braydon confirmed. "I've decided to save everyone the trouble and just plead guilty."

"Guilty to what?" Gibbs asked, caught off guard by Braydon's offer but trying not to show it. There was a very good likelihood he'd be charged with capital murder and end up getting the death penalty but the young man sitting in front of him hadn't requested a lawyer and wasn't even trying to plea down to life in prison. He could write it off as immaturity but something wasn't sitting right in Gibbs' gut. There was something else going on. Braydon Kaiser had another move up his sleeve that he wasn't ready to show yet.

"Everything," Braydon answered. "Shooting up the safe house. Killing that kid. Blowing up your house and Special Agent DiNozzo's apartment. Terrorizing your M.E. assistant and forensic scientist. Hiring that kid to deliver the note. Hacking the FBI's database. Wiring my apartment. Blowing up Reese's house. Robbing the bank. All of it."

"Why would you plead guilty to all that and ask for nothing in return?" Gibbs asked.

Braydon shrugged. "Why not?" he asked nonchalantly. "I did it and who says I want nothing in return?"

"People usually ask for what they want before putting everything out on the table," Gibbs pointed out.

"And I would have too if I thought it was something you wouldn't give me," Braydon replied. "All I want is the chance to tell my story to the court so I can make sure it gets out and the facts are recorded accurately."

Gibbs studied the kid for a long moment, looking deep into his eyes. He saw no remorse and sensed no regret for anything he'd done. Despite knowing he was being played, he had little choice but to go along with it. "I'll have a prosecutor draw up the paperwork," he said, knowing whatever Braydon Kaiser had planned was far from over.

* * *

"What're we thinking?" Tony asked as he and Gibbs sat in the back of an FBI escorted SUV headed towards the Embassy Suites where Abby and Jimmy were waiting for them. He'd watched the interrogation and knew by the look on Gibbs' face and his demeanor that his boss was as bothered by the latest happenings as he was.

"Kaiser's dangerous," Gibbs replied. "Something's not right in his head. There's something going on up there. I don't know what it is yet but we haven't seen the last of him."

"Is it something you can get out of him or are we just doomed to wait for him to attack us again?"

"I don't know," Gibbs answered honestly. Once the prosecutor had drawn up Kaiser's deal and the man had signed it, Gibbs could get back in there and grill him more but he didn't want to jeopardize a potential guilty plea and risk the man getting off somehow. His eyes met Tony's and he let the look of helplessness do the talking.

"That's what I thought," Tony replied quietly. "What do we tell Jimmy and Abs?"

"At this point, nothing," Gibbs answered. "Kaiser's in custody. We're safe for the time being. They've worried enough."

"I agree," Tony said. "Do you feel comfortable sending them home tonight?"

"With Kaiser behind bars? I do," Gibbs answered. "He's not working with anyone so he can't get to them from jail. They're safe."

"I'd feel better if they had a protection detail out front though," Tony said.

"I agree," Gibbs said. "They're bringing McGee and Bishop home tomorrow. I'll arrange for protection details for them as well."

"What about Ducky?"

"Duck's still sightseeing," Gibbs replied. "He's got his next couple days planned out so I told him to stay put. He's working on getting a plane ticket though. I told him to keep in touch."

"Case is wrapping up. We're gonna have the team together again," Tony said with a smile. His hopefulness was met by a distraught look on Gibbs' face. "Why aren't you happier? I think we've earned a little celebration."

"Not yet," Gibbs replied. "Not while something's not sitting right."

It worried Tony that whatever it was, was bothering Gibbs to the point he couldn't even celebrate their small victory but before he could respond, their escort interrupted their quiet conversation.

"We're here," he announced.

Gibbs and Tony stepped out of the SUV and the driver drove off. With Kaiser in custody they no longer needed a protection detail but neither of them had a car.

After heading into the lobby, Tony pulled Gibbs into the side room where the table of coffee and fixings that was available to guests at all hours of the day and night stood. Thankfully no one was around, giving them an opportunity to talk before getting to the room where Abby and Jimmy were waiting. He grabbed one cup, filled it with the dark roast blend and handed it to Gibbs before filling another cup with the medium roast for himself.

"Do we need to stay here?" he asked, doctoring up his coffee to his liking.

"No," Gibbs answered, cautiously sipping his beverage. "We'll know if we need to go back into hiding."

Tony dropped a stir stick into his cup and started mixing in the creamer and sugar. "Alright," he said, "let's go give 'em the good news."

* * *

Gibbs pulled his truck up in front of what used to be his house and parked. Tony sat speechless in the passenger seat, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Jimmy and Abby were at their respective homes after being assured it was safe and that they would each have a protection detail just in case.

"Seeing this makes me glad we can't go by my place," Tony said sadly. His apartment building had been declared structurally unsound and the fate of it was in limbo while professionals worked to determine whether or not it could be saved. He'd seen pictures of it on the local news stations but after sitting in front of what looked like a disorderly lumber yard that used to be arranged in the form of a house, he wasn't sure if he could handle the same thing on a larger scale. There was literally nothing left standing of what used to be Gibbs' house.

Tony looked over at the man to gauge his reaction but couldn't based on the look on his face. "A penny for your thoughts," he said cautiously.

Gibbs' eyes moved from the destruction to Tony. "This is the same kind of bomb that Reese used to kill all those Marines," he said.

The mood between them turned even more somber as Tony broke eye contact. "You hear about the IEDs and bombs and explosions our troops are dealing with over there all the time but seeing it up close like this really puts it in perspective."

"Trust me, it makes it even worse when someone you used to call brother is responsible for the attack," Gibbs said.

Tony's focus turned back to the house and he tried to imagine what it would've been like to be inside when the bomb went off. His thoughts turned to the countless Marines that had been murdered by someone who they'd once called a brother but it quickly became overwhelming. "I don't know how you sat in that interrogation room across from Braydon Kaiser and didn't murder him with your bare hands." His body tensed and his muscles flexed as his anger grew but Gibbs' hand on his forearm helped center him again.

"Don't lose focus," Gibbs reminded him.

Tony nodded, letting Gibbs' presence comfort and calm him. "Do you wanna get out? Look around?"

Gibbs looked beyond Tony at what was once his home, the yellow crime scene tape blowing in the wind. Not only had the explosion leveled it, fire had turned the rubble to charred remains and the recent snow had surely ruined anything the bomb and fire might've missed. "Nah," he said, putting his foot on the brake and slipping the truck into gear again. "Let's get outta here."

"Where to now?" Tony asked. "Neither one of us have anywhere left to go."

Gibbs pulled out onto the main road from his subdivision and pointed the truck back towards the city. "I know a place," he replied.

* * *

Tony cringed at the harsh tone Gibbs was using as he sat on the edge of the bed speaking to his insurance agent on the phone. The man had clearly had enough and being jerked around by the company he'd paid countless dollars to when he actually needed them had pushed him over the edge. The hour long conversation was only making things worse. Tony was impressed Gibbs hadn't hung up on the agent yet.

Agent.

Insurance people weren't agents. He and Gibbs were agents.

After one final sharp comment, Gibbs flipped his phone closed and dropped it angrily onto the nightstand before muttering something under his breath and rubbing his hands down his face.

Tony cautiously moved in behind the man and ran his hand across Gibbs' upper back before resting it on Gibbs' shoulder and squeezing. His left hand stayed tucked up against his body even though he was starting to feel better. He didn't want to go backwards in his recovery.

"That feels nice," Gibbs sighed. "Feelin' brave today?" Tony was always very cautious about touching him and Gibbs knew a big part of it was because he'd kept the man at arm's length.

"I don't know what I'm feeling anymore," Tony answered. Part of him was feeling brave, especially after Gibbs had walked up to the reception desk at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites and asked for a room with a king size bed without asking or consulting him. They no longer had to share a bed or even a room. It was just them now, all alone—together but alone. A low rumble slowly got louder and changed pitches several times before fading into the quiet. "Except for hungry," Tony added as he continued massaging Gibbs' shoulder. "I'm definitely feeling hungry."

Gibbs let himself smile, putting the nonsense with the insurance company behind him for the time being. "Pizza?" he asked.

"You want pepperoni and onion?" Tony asked.

"Pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese for you?" Gibbs confirmed.

Tony's stomach let out another, louder grumble in response to Gibbs' question.

"If you keep rubbing my back, I'll order," Gibbs said.

Tony slid down, resting comfortably on the bed behind Gibbs with his legs wrapped around the man's body as he continued the massage. Yes, he was definitely feeling braver.

Gibbs found their favorite pizza joint's phone number in his phone and ordered their dinner. The Holiday Inn wasn't far from where his home had once stood so he was confident they'd deliver to the hotel.

When he hung up the massage stopped and Tony wrapped his arms around Gibbs' midsection and rested his head against the man's back. Gibbs rested his arms on top Tony's and held onto the man tightly. It was well into the evening after a long day but the adrenaline at finally having Kaiser behind bars and the anticipation of what a single king size bed might imply had both men wide awake.

"Shit," Gibbs cursed out of nowhere.

"What?" Tony asked, tensing up.

"I forgot to order something to drink."

"Oh." Tony let himself relax again. "We could go down to the convenience store on the first floor. If they don't have anything I'm sure there's a soda machine around here somewhere."

"I just don't wanna move," Gibbs said.

"Well if you hadn't forgotten to order the soda," Tony teased.

"If you hadn't been distracting me with that back rub." Gibbs turned his head and rubbed his nose against Tony's cheek until Tony turned and the two shared a brief, lazy kiss. "If we go now we'll be back in the room by the time the pizza gets here," he said against Tony's mouth.

"I don't wanna move either," Tony said.

"I'll bring you something."

"I definitely don't want you to move. Let's just drink warm tap water."

"That's not gonna happen," Gibbs replied with a chuckle. He patted Tony's leg before carefully extracting himself from the man's embrace and standing.

"I'm going with you," Tony said, "but I'm not putting my shoes back on."

Gibbs just smiled as he slipped his feet into his loosely laced hiking boots and didn't bother tying them. Thanks to Tony he was already feeling better despite the phone conversation he'd had with his insurance agent.

"You wanna talk about it?" Tony asked as they made their way down the hall towards the elevator.

Gibbs waited until they were in the elevator before he said anything. "It's gonna take a couple weeks to process my claim," he said quietly. "Can't start doing anything until they get things going on their end."

"You know, I've kinda been thinking about that," Tony said. "What would you think about maybe, um, possibly renting an apartment together until your place is rebuilt and I figure out if mine's gonna be rebuilt or if I gotta find somewhere else or if I even wanna live there anymore or whatever. It's cheaper and more homey than living out of a hotel room for however long. We both pretty much have to start over from scratch. Might as well save a few pennies by sharing rent. I don't know. It's just an idea."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, putting an end to Tony's nervous rambling and allowing the men to step out into the lobby. Gibbs' initial reaction to be nervous about Tony's proposal was overshadowed by knowing it wasn't permanent. They could test it out and take it one day at a time and it would be easy to walk away if things weren't working out. It was a very safe version of moving in together without it requiring a real commitment or anything too complicated.

"Yeah," Gibbs agreed with a nod of his head. "I like that idea."

"Me too!" Tony said with a relieved smile.

The two were thrilled to find beer for sale, overpriced as it was, in the convenience store. After the clerk asked Tony not to return again without shoes, they made their purchase and disappeared back up to their room just in time to intercept the pizzas from the delivery boy. Gibbs stepped out of his hiking boots and both settled in on the oversized, comfortable bed to enjoy their late dinner.

They didn't even consider turning the TV on while they ate, letting the playful conversation and teasing fill the silence instead. It felt good to be normal again.

"Tell me honestly," Tony said as they finished up eating, "how are you feeling?"

Gibbs thought about giving Tony a patented 'I'm fine' answer but decided after everything they'd been through together that the man deserved better than that and he was surprised to find he truly wanted to give the man more than that. "Exhausted but too tired to sleep, relieved but leery of a round two, sore, a little overwhelmed," he listed.

"I was thinking about firing up the Jacuzzi," Tony said. "Care to join me? It'll help with your soreness; especially that pulled groin muscle."

A smile played at Gibbs' lips as he looked at Tony. "That your way of getting me naked?" he asked, a glimmer in his eye.

"Gibbs!" Tony exclaimed as if he were insulted by the insinuation.

"You know I don't have a suit," Gibbs continued. "Neither of us do."

"After all we've been through," Tony said, "are you still playing shy with me?"

"There you go answering my questions with more questions again," Gibbs replied. "That's turning into a bad habit, Anthony."

"Anthony?" Tony repeated with raised eyebrows. "I like the way my name sounds on your lips."

Gibbs reached out and tucked his fingers under Tony's chin, letting his thumb come up and graze across Tony's lips as he gently urged the man closer, pressing his lips to Tony's once they were finally close enough. "Run the water," he said into the kiss. "I'll put the leftover pizza away."

Tony smiled against Gibbs' lips and kissed him one more time before pulling away and heading for the Jacuzzi in the corner of their king suite. It seemed foolish not to take advantage of such luxury when it was so readily available. It seemed even more foolish to ignore an excuse to get Gibbs naked and take advantage of some intimate time with the man, now that they were truly alone.

"I can massage your groin muscle for you again," Tony offered, raising his voice enough to be heard over the running water. He unbuttoned his shirt, slipped out of it and dropped it to the floor before checking the temperature of the water with his hand.

"Maybe," Gibbs replied. He didn't have the heart to tell Tony his pulled groin muscle was barely bothering him anymore.

He put the pizzas in the mini fridge in their room before joining Tony by the large tub. He'd never really understood the appeal of having a Jacuzzi tub in the middle of a bedroom, even if that bedroom was doubling as a living space as theirs was, but if Tony wanted to take advantage of it, he was more than happy to oblige; especially if it would help relax him and ease the tension in his achy muscles.

A little fun wouldn't be so bad either... if things went that way. He wasn't in a hurry—at least not as much of a hurry as his body seemed to be—and he wasn't willing to rush into anything to receive temporary pleasure and sacrifice long-term happiness. "This has all the jets and everything, huh?" he asked, dropping his pants before tugging his shirt over his head.

"Oh yeah," Tony replied excitedly. "Prepare yourself, Gibbs. You're about to experience luxury beyond your wildest dreams."

"I think you can call me Jethro," Gibbs replied.

Tony looked up and their eyes met briefly as a wicked smile crossed his face.

"Don't get any wise ideas," Gibbs muttered teasingly. Why was he so nervous? Oh yeah, he was moments away from being naked, in a hot tub, with Tony and they were all alone. There would be no interruptions this time. There was nothing and no one to get in their way. He slipped his underwear off and immediately stepped into the tub.

Tony watched curiously, smiling at the sight of Gibbs'—Jethro's naked butt disappearing beneath the bubbling water before pushing his own boxer briefs to the floor and following the man into the Jacuzzi. This was it. It was happening, whatever 'it' was.

Almost as quickly as it had started, the awkwardness of getting naked in front of each other again had passed and the two picked up on the same casual conversation they'd been having over dinner. Jethro spread his arms out on either side of him, resting them on the side of the tub, listening as Tony did most of the talking, smiling at the man the entire time.

"This is nice," Tony said after several minutes of small talk. As he looked over at Gibbs, he noticed for the first time the gleam in the man's eye and the way he was looking at him and he smiled back knowingly. He reached over and ran his hand over Gibbs' thigh, gently at first and then a little more firmly, massaging the man's pulled groin muscle much like he'd done a few days prior. It was as good an excuse as any to start touching him. He'd leave whatever else was going to happen up to fate.

Jethro spread his legs slightly, trying to stay calm and relaxed as his body began tensing in anticipation. Just as he'd done during the first massage, when his body started responding to Tony's touches he moved his hand to his lap, hiding his excitement as Tony's fingers inched closer and closer before retreating again only to repeat the process. The simple, seemingly innocent gesture was driving him wild and it was all he could do not to writhe in pleasure beneath Tony's fingers. He let the massage continue for a little while longer before he couldn't take it any longer.

"Touch me," he pleaded softly as he took Tony's hand and moved it into his lap, onto his erection.

Tony immediately wrapped his fingers around Jethro's girth and stroked his hand over the man's length. Jethro's feet came up off the floor of the Jacuzzi. He wanted so badly to thrust wildly into Tony's hand but at the same time he wanted to take it slow and relinquish control to Tony.

"Please, Tony," Jethro begged, his voice shaky. As badly as he wanted to let Tony have control he couldn't stop his hips from rocking or his legs for squirming.

When Tony's finger circled the ridge of his cockhead and brushed over his pee hole, his feet hit the bottom of the tub and he used it as leverage to push his erection hard into Tony's hand. Tony squeezed even harder, stroking from root to tip while he wrapped his other hand around his own cock and carefully stroked himself. His still broken collarbone wouldn't allow him to stroke very hard or with as much vigor as he normally did but the excitement of being with Jethro, touching him, watching and listening to him more than made up for the weakness in his arm.

It was nearly Tony's undoing when Jethro pulled himself together enough to reach over, latch onto Tony's dick and start stroking him, slow and steady at first and building up to hard and fast. Tony opened his legs, gave in and let Jethro work him over while he continued focusing on Jethro. It was difficult to get a good grip with all the man's squirming and the water making everything even more slippery but that didn't seem to be bothering Jethro and it definitely wasn't slowing Tony's orgasm down any.

"I'm so close," Tony murmured as he thrust into Jethro's grip.

"Me too," Jethro panted. "Just, whatever you do, don't stop."

"Never," Tony moaned but the moan quickly turned into a curse. "I'm cuming," he cried. "I'm cuming, Jethro!"

Jethro thrust harder into Tony's hand when Tony's own orgasm caused him to tighten his grip. "Fuck," he moaned. He grunted and his body jerked as he followed Tony over the edge.

The two continued stroking each other, gradually slowing until Jethro stopped with a satisfied sigh and reached down and stilled Tony's hand at the same time.

"If you keep doing that something's gonna happen again," Jethro said, still a little winded and out of breath.

"That'd be impressive," Tony replied with a sly grin.

A trace of a smile tugged at Jethro's lips but he didn't respond. Instead, he relaxed against the back of the Jacuzzi and closed his eyes, his body relaxing fully as he came down from his high. When he felt Tony's fingers graze across his chest, he reached out and held onto his hand. He opened his eyes and looked over as Tony leaned against the back of the tub next to him. Tony smiled over at Jethro, inched a little closer and rubbed noses with the man. Jethro initiated the kiss, languid and lazy with lips and tongues. The kissing was followed by more rubbing noses before the two pulled apart again.

"I could totally sleep right here," Tony said, resting his head against the back of the tub.

"The bed would be more comfortable," Jethro pointed out. He reached over and brushed his fingers across Tony's thigh before adding, "that's where I'll be sleeping."

"In that case..." Tony's smile turned into a dramatic yawn, his body betraying his words and telling Jethro just how tired he was.

Leaving no room for argument, Jethro patted Tony's leg. "Come on," he said as he stood, "it's getting late."

"Okay," Tony replied, "but only because it's you asking. And just so you know," he added quickly, "I'm not wearing pants or underwear or anything to bed."

A smile crossed Jethro's face as he looked back at Tony. "Neither am I."

* * *

A subtle ringing pierced the quiet darkness of the night, getting louder and louder as Jethro became more and more aware. When he realized it was his phone that was ringing, he woke fully with a start in a cold sweat. His mind immediately took him back to long nights of interrupted sleep and constant threats but Braydon Kaiser was in prison so it couldn't be him causing more problems, could it?

He fumbled for his phone in the dark, trying to get to it before it woke Tony. He finally caught it as it vibrated across the nightstand and flipped it open as he brought it to his ear. "Gibbs," he mumbled tiredly.

"Hi, Gibbs," Abby replied casually as if it wasn't the middle of the night.

"Abs," Gibbs said, "what's wrong?"

"Nothin'," Abby answered.

"Abby, it's 2:30 in the morning," Gibbs muttered, exhaustion tugging at his words. "Help me out here." He couldn't see her but he knew she was nibbling nervously on her lip as she psyched herself up to answer.

"I'm scared," she finally said. "I know logically Kaiser's in jail and we're safe and we don't have to worry anymore but I can't seem to convince myself of that. I don't know what to do."

Gibbs sat up and rubbed his forehead, trying to wake himself up after not very much sleep. "Get dressed," he said. "I'll be there in about ten minutes. You can stay with us tonight."

"I'm sorry," Abby said.

"Don't be," Gibbs replied. "I'm glad you called."

He hung up his phone and swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and sighing quietly before standing.

"Don't leave," Tony whimpered. "You're warm and comfortable and I sleep better when you're next to me."

"Abs is scared," Gibbs explained. "I'm gonna go get her. I'll be right back."

"I can go with you," Tony offered tiredly.

"No," Gibbs said. "Stay here. Sleep. Just put some underwear on before we get back." He dropped an all too brief kiss on Tony's lips, threw a pair of jeans and a hoodie on and headed out.

Twenty minutes later he was back with Abby in tow. Not many words were spoken as Jethro lifted the blankets to make sure Tony had covered up before tugging his hoodie over his head and climbing in next to Tony.

"You're not gonna take your jeans off?" Abby asked. There were so many questions she wanted to ask but she settled on that one, at least to start with.

"No," Jethro answered, patting the bed next to him and urging her in.

"But jeans aren't very comfortable," she pointed out.

"I'm tired, Abs," Jethro mumbled sleepily.

"I know," Abby said "I just thought you'd be more comfortable and sleep better in pajama pants or just your undies or something. It's not gonna creep me out or anything."

"He didn't bother throwing on a pair of underwear before slipping into his jeans to go get you and now he's too tired or lazy or both to find something more comfortable to wear," Tony told Abby.

"Thank you, Tony," Jethro grumbled sarcastically.

"You're welcome, Jethro," Tony replied sweetly.

"Wait," Abby said. It may have been the middle of the night and everyone may have been exhausted but she couldn't contain her questions any longer. "Not only are you guys sharing a hotel room _and_ a bed but you were both sleeping naked? Next to each other?"

"Good night, Abby," Jethro said, effectively dismissing her questions.

"If I woulda known I was interrupting," Abby started.

"Not interrupting anything," Jethro interrupted. "Go to sleep."

"One more question?" Abby tried.

"Good night, Abby," Jethro repeated.

Abby smiled to herself, despite all the questions whirring in her mind at everything she'd just learned. Both she and Jimmy had suspected something was happening between Gibbs and Tony but they hadn't guessed so much had happened so quickly. Not only was she thrilled for her two favorite guys, she couldn't have been happier. They'd both struggled with finding love for so long but somehow the two of them together seemed so pure and beautiful and right. She burrowed beneath the warm, comfortable blankets, next to the two people she trusted more than anyone else in the world and closed her eyes, finally feeling safe enough once again to let her guard down and rest.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen: Naked Behind the Door**

Elaine had known Gibbs' job was dangerous. She'd even witnessed him get shot right in front of her but she had never worried about him until the FBI had insisted he go into hiding and he'd actually obeyed. It took a very special kind of dangerous criminal to send a former Marine turned best special agent NCIS had ever seen into hiding.

That was why he was greeted with a hug when he brought his brood in for breakfast. Each member of his team received a hug as well. Elaine knew Gibbs thought of them as family and any family of Gibbs' was a friend of hers and worthy of a hug. Gibbs chuckled as he embraced the jovial woman and patted her back, insisting they were all fine and that there was nothing to worry about. Tony and Abby hugged the woman like she was a long lost favorite aunt they'd finally been reunited with.

Jimmy came in in the middle of all the hugging and found himself drawn into a strong embrace as well. He shot a helpless look at Tony before relaxing and leaning into the hug with a smile on his face, readily accepting any comfort the woman was willing to give.

"I was hoping I'd see you guys here when Tobias told me you were no longer staying at the hotel," Elaine said. "I saved your booth for you, Jethro."

"I heard my name," Fornell said, entering the diner. "Better be saying only good things about me."

"Sure, let's go with that," Tony teased.

Elaine gave Tony a much gentler version of the head slap he so often received from Gibbs and welcomed the FBI agent with a warm greeting as the group crowded into the booth, making room for everyone.

"We're gonna have to figure out a way to expand and it's all because of your friends, Jethro," Elaine teased lovingly. She was so happy to have the man back in her diner and have things returning to normal.

"Can't help it, Lainey," Gibbs replied, "this group knows good food when they see it."

"I'm not complaining," Elaine insisted. "You guys make me look good with the big boss. I got employee of the month this month."

"Congratulations, Elaine," Tony said. "That's great."

"Well deserved," Gibbs added.

"Thanks, guys," Elaine said, passing out menus. "I'll bring you some coffee while you look over the menu."

Everyone opened the modest menus and started going over the delicious selections except for Fornell who simply laid his aside and grabbed his phone instead, making sure he hadn't missed any breaking news in the past few minutes.

"Not eating, Tobias?" Gibbs asked.

"Oh, I'm eating," Fornell replied quickly, "but I don't need a menu. I'm gonna have another one of those cinnamon rolls."

"You should try the sticky buns," Tony suggested. "They're to die for."

"This place serves sticky buns?" Fornell asked in wide eyed amazement.

"Oh yeah," Tony mouthed with an expression that told the man just how good they were.

"Are you just here for the grub, Tobias, or do you have news for us?" Gibbs asked. A big part of him was still waiting to be told it was all a dream and that Kaiser wasn't in custody after all and the danger wasn't over yet.

Before Fornell could answer, Elaine returned with coffee and took their orders: sticky buns for Fornell, omelets for Tony and Jimmy and breakfast platters for Gibbs and Abby. She disappeared with a promise to have their food right out, leaving them alone once again.

"I'm not even gonna try to lie," Fornell admitted, "I'm mostly here for the food. I think I'm addicted, Jethro, but I do have an update on the case for you guys."

Gibbs smiled over at his friend. "What's new with the case?"

"Kaiser's being transported to jail later this afternoon," Fornell answered, doctoring up his coffee as he spoke. "McGee will be back in town later this morning and nobody came right out and said it but I get the impression, after talking with his mother, that he's still healing and may need a little extra help. I know you guys take care of each other."

"You talked to McGoo's mommy?" Tony asked.

"She insisted on speaking with me," Fornell replied, "much to McGee's dismay. I think she snatched the phone out of his hand."

"You wanna stay with McGee for a little while, Abs?" Gibbs asked. "Help him get back on his feet?" He knew not only were the two of them really close but that that would give Abby an excuse to not have to stay alone and she wouldn't have to feel weak about it.

"I'd love to!" Abby replied. "What time does his plane land?"

"10:54," Fornell answered. "My agents will get 'em to McGee's place. That's where Sarah, is that his sister's name? That's where she left her car."

"Yeah," Gibbs answered, "Sarah."

"Not to sound overly paranoid," Abby said, "but Sarah's not gonna blow up or anything when she gets in her car, right?"

"No," Fornell answered. "We've had her car checked out thoroughly."

"Good."

"Bishop and her husband will be back this evening," Fornell continued. "We're not taking any chances with you guys. Your homes and cars have been double and triple checked by the FBI and Homeland Security. I understand you may feel uneasy and if there's anything we can do to take that away, please, let me know."

Gibbs looked around the table at his friends, mainly focusing on Jimmy and Abby. He knew he and Tony were doing okay with everything but he wasn't sure about the other two. "How'd you sleep last night, Jimmy?" he asked.

Jimmy smiled and shrugged. "It was a little weird and I guess I looked over my shoulder a couple times but it was definitely nice to be back in my own home and I know you guys wouldn't have sent me there if it wasn't safe. It's nothing a little time won't heal. I'm fine, really."

"Abs?" Gibbs asked.

Abby's cheeks reddened slightly. "I think you know how my evening went," she admitted. "I just kept seeing that flashlight shining in my window and every time I closed my eyes those eyes were looking back at me."

"You gonna be okay staying with McGee?" Gibbs asked. "No shame if you're not."

"I will," Abby said confidently.

"Call me if you're not," Gibbs said firmly.

"Okay."

Breakfast arrived at their table along with refills on their coffee and none of them wasted any time digging into their food. The hums and moans of pure pleasure were almost obscene as the group ate, putting a smile on Elaine's face each time she refiled their drinks or stopped by to check on them. She'd been thrilled to be able to send food to them in the safe house but it was good to have them back in her presence, safe and sound.

* * *

Jethro wasn't sure when he'd turned into the kind of guy who enjoyed spending the evening lounging in front of the television but sitting on the couch with Tony was turning out to be oddly relaxing. Maybe it was the fact that they could finally relax after being on full alert for so long or maybe Tony was starting to rub off on him after all their years together. Whatever it was, Jethro couldn't have been happier. The giddy nerves he'd experienced all those years ago when he was falling in love with Shannon returned and, alone in their hotel room, Tony was the only thing that mattered.

"Watch this," Tony said, pointing at the screen excitedly. "This is my favorite part."

Jethro's eyes moved from Tony to the TV and he slouched down enough he could rest his head lightly against Tony's shoulder. "I don't even know what we're watching," he admitted shyly. He knew those minor details were important to Tony but there were other details on his mind.

"You don't know what... what… what've you been doing this whole time?" Tony asked in confusion.

Jethro ran his tongue across his lips as he looked up at the man through hooded eyelashes. "I dunno," he answered with a shrug. "Watchin' something else, I guess."

Tony's eyes found Jethro's fingers as they lightly grazed the still very red scar running almost the entire length of Tony's thigh, tracing it from his knee up to his groin. Suddenly he wasn't very interested in the movie anymore either. His breathing caught as his body started to rouse. The closer Jethro's fingers got to his core, the more excited Tony got.

"That feels nice," Tony said softly, hopeful that the man would keep going.

Jethro tilted his head upwards and nipped at Tony's jaw line. Tony closed his eyes and soaked in the affection until Jethro's whispered 'kiss me' had him tilting his head down and meeting the man in a brief kiss.

Tony continued to pepper Jethro's face with soft kisses while Jethro's attention moved to the growing bulge in Tony's briefs. He stretched his fingers out, lightly bumping Tony's hardening dick before letting them slip just beneath the hem of his underwear to brush up against his bare skin.

Tony bit his lip and released a heavy sigh, spreading his legs but being careful not to lose contact with Jethro's fingers.

"This is nice," Tony barely managed to choke out. He squirmed around, trying to maneuver himself so Jethro was touching more of him but Jethro caught on quickly and pulled back.

"Don't rush it," he instructed.

"It's hard when your hand's that close," Tony panted. "You get me so excited."

Jethro moved Tony's hand into his lap and flinched slightly when the man immediately started squeezing. "That's without you even touching me yet," he said. "I've been thinking about you all day; about what happened last night, the way your hand felt on me, the way you stroked and twisted and tugged; like you knew exactly how to get me off."

"Fuck," Tony breathed. "I just did what I like."

"Oh, trust me," Jethro said, reaching down and stilling Tony's hand, "I liked it too."

"What else do you like?" Tony asked.

"Kissing," Jethro answered. "I like kissing."

Tony licked his lips. He was already having difficulty focusing and didn't want to forget one single second of what was happening. "Where do you like to be kissed?" he murmured.

"Everywhere," Jethro answered.

"Where should I start?" Tony's need was so overwhelming his voice was just barely above a whisper.

Jethro answered by opening his mouth ever so slightly and pressing his lips to Tony's before all but devouring Tony's mouth, biting and nipping and taking what he needed all while giving Tony exactly what he needed. As his excitement grew so did his cock until it was pushing painfully against the fly of his jeans. He popped the button and lowered the zipper with one hand, aching for relief.

"Let me kiss it," Tony begged. "Please, let me taste you."

"Hold on," Jethro said when Tony started dropping his head to his lap. He stood and let his pants fall to the floor then pushed his underwear down, letting his cock spring free. "Take your underwear off and lie back."

Tony pushed his underwear down and kicked them off as he laid back against the couch and looked up at Jethro, waiting to see what was going to happen next.

Naked from the waist down, Jethro moved behind Tony and carefully knelt above his head, resting his knee on the couch just above Tony's injured shoulder and broken collarbone. He pushed gently against Tony's chin until the man's mouth popped open and Tony instinctively tilted his head back.

Tony stuck his tongue out as Jethro fed him his cock, just the tip at first, rubbing himself against Tony's tongue before pulling back and pushing in again, a little bit further. He carefully avoided bumping Tony's injured arm while he found his rhythm and Tony made himself comfortable. Once they were in sync, Jethro leaned down across Tony's body and took the man's protruding dick into his mouth.

Tony whimpered around Jethro's cock and thrust his hips up, pushing more of himself into the man's mouth. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting but a blow job from Jethro was nowhere near the top of his list. Being caught off guard only added to the excitement but Tony knew if he thought about it for too long that he wouldn't get to enjoy the pleasure for very long.

The two continued working each other over, unintentionally mirroring the other one's movements. When Tony licked around the crown of Jethro's cock, Jethro did the same. When Jethro dipped his tongue into Tony's pee hole and sucked hard to get all the oozing precum, Tony did the same. Exaggerated moans and strangled grunts filled the room until Jethro reached for himself and started stroking fast and hard. Tony reached down and held onto his own balls as he thrust into Jethro's mouth and let his mind absorb what was happening. It didn't take long before he was coming with a long strangled shriek and Jethro with a series of deep grunts.

Jethro thoroughly licked Tony clean while Tony continued sucking on him until his over sensitized dick couldn't take it anymore and he carefully pulled it from Tony's mouth only to have Tony try to recapture it between his lips. He sat up, careful not to sit on Tony's head or bump his arm then stood so Tony could sit up as well.

"That was amazing," Tony said, "and not at all what I was expecting."

"What do you mean?" Jethro asked, sitting down next to Tony.

"You sucking my cock? Jethro Gibbs giving me a blow job? It's a lot to wrap my mind around, Boss."

"Don't call me boss when we're naked," Jethro said, "and you better get used to my mouth on your cock. I like to kiss and taste."

The implications of what Jethro had said made Tony whimper and the whimper caused Jethro to smile. If a blow job was all it took to surprise Tony, he was going to have no problem blowing the man's mind, especially once they crawled into bed together.

"Excited?" Jethro asked.

"You have no idea," Tony answered.

* * *

Tony was disappointed to find Jethro already in the shower when he woke the next morning. He'd been hoping for more playtime and a fun start to the morning but at least no one had called and interrupted them in the middle of night for once.

He moaned in protest at the cold as he slipped out from under the warm, luxurious bedding. His trip to the bathroom to empty his overly full bladder and possibly join Jethro in the shower was interrupted by a knock on the door which Tony seriously considered ignoring. He looked longingly at the cracked bathroom door then back towards the door of their room before grumbling about people with no respect or concept of privacy as he stomped over to the door. He was so grumpy, he threw caution into the wind and answered it without checking the peep hole or asking their visitor to identify himself. With only his head poking around the partially opened door, his eyes narrowed in disbelief when he saw who was on the other side.

"You," he said accusatorially.

"Hi, DiNozzo," Mathers said. "You should probably put some clothes on. We need to talk."

"We've clearly been spending too much time together if you know I'm naked behind this door," Tony said. "Go away, Mather's."

"I wish I could, Tony."

* * *

The conference room in the FBI building was beginning to feel more like home than their own homes and offices at NCIS headquarters. The only difference that day was McGee and Bishop were back with them. After greetings and hugs from the two who hadn't been seen in over a week, it was a waiting game with high tensions and little information and no one was giving them any hints.

It was almost a half an hour before Fornell showed up, looking more frazzled than he had since the case had begun. He apologized for keeping them waiting as they all sat down around the large table.

"Kaiser escaped," Fornell reported bluntly.

"What the?!"

"He overpowered the two guards escorting him," Fornell said, interrupting Tony.

"How are they?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"Dead," Fornell answered, just as bluntly. "The officers escorting him had to stop for gas along the way. One of 'em took Kaiser to the restroom while the other filled the car up. Kaiser broke the neck of the officer in the bathroom with him, took his service pistol and shot the other officer before he even realized what had happened. He carjacked an elderly man who'd stopped to get some snacks to sneak into a hockey game he was taking his grandson to. The guy ended up having a heart attack in front of his grandson. They don't know if he's gonna make it yet."

"How old was the grandson?" Gibbs asked. In the grand scheme of things it really didn't matter but it mattered to him.

"Eleven," Fornell answered. "He was still in the store buying a pack of gum."

"So, what does all this mean?" Abby asked reluctantly, even though she already knew. Maybe she would get lucky and the answer wouldn't be what she was expecting. Maybe she would wake up from the nightmare she was trapped in and life would return to normal.

"I don't even wanna know what this guy has planned for an encore but I have a feeling we're about to find out," Fornell replied. "I'm sorry, guys, but I've gotta send you back into hiding."

"Goody," Tony grumbled. "This guy just won't go away."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen: On Your Six**

The two lane highway leading into Stillwater, Pennsylvania somehow seemed even lonelier after Jack's passing. It was a trip Gibbs had been determined to never make again after burying his father but after lying to Fornell hours earlier, he'd hit the road, leaving him a mere ten minutes away from facing the ghosts of his past once again. Thankfully, Tony was sitting in the passenger seat of his old truck, ready to face those ghosts right alongside him.

A handful of hours to the south, arrangements were being made for Jake and Ellie to head to Myrtle Beach, a trip Ellie had been talking about taking since they'd gotten married. When they'd heard they had to go back into hiding, Jake had cleared it with his superiors to take an extended leave so he could take his wife on her dream trip and away from harm.

Jimmy was also in the process of leaving town. With the FBI's help, he'd made arrangements to visit his mother out of state. Following everyone else's lead, Abby had decided to visit Luca in Louisiana and had invited McGee to tag along, an invitation that had been readily accepted.

After everything they'd been through, Fornell was being overly accommodating with the group until it had come to Gibbs' lie and despite his obliging demeanor and patient smile, Fornell had known from the get go that his best friend was lying to him. There was no way an issue with his father's estate had come up at that precise moment and no reason that if there really was an issue, it had to be dealt with that very moment and in person. He just wasn't sure what the man had up his sleeve so, despite his wariness, he'd had no choice but to let the man go and take Tony along to keep him company.

What made Fornell most uneasy about the situation, however, was the fact that Gibbs had insisted no agents or protection detail accompany them. That was a recipe for disaster but after over an hour of arguing and a reluctant handshake, Fornell felt he had no other choice, other than to trust the man and let him do his thing.

Still completely in the dark as to the real plan, Tony relaxed in the passenger seat next to Gibbs, watching the barren landscape turn to dormant farms and finally to the sleepy town of Stillwater. A series of familiar turns took them to the Gibbs' residence, the place that had helped shape Jethro into the man he was; the place that held so many memories that Tony was curious about but Gibbs was afraid to revisit.

Gibbs parked the truck in the driveway then the two grabbed their bags, Gibbs fished the key to the front door out of his pocket and they headed inside.

"It's weird being here without Jack," Tony said as he stood in the entryway and looked around the home he hadn't been in in years. "I can still smell him."

"Yep," Gibbs replied matter-of-factly, not wanting to think too hard about his late father. "Come on, we've got work to do."

"Work?" Tony asked, looking over at the man. "Does this have anything to do with all the stops we had to make before we left town?" The sly grin on Gibbs' face had Tony grinning as well. "What are you up to? What's in the bag?" Unlike their luggage that had been tossed into the bed of the truck without a second thought, there was one duffle bag that Gibbs had insisted stay in the cab of the truck with them and he'd been careful not to let it leave his or Tony's sight.

Gibbs opened the bag and dumped the contents out onto the dining room table. "Stuff," he answered.

Tony's eyes widened in surprise as he looked over the 'stuff' Gibbs had dumped out. No wonder the man had insisted they guard it so carefully. Not only was there a selection of automatic weapons, long guns and handguns for both of them and then some, there was what Tony was guessing was hundreds of thousands of dollars in high tech surveillance equipment. "Where'd you get all this stuff?"

"My basement," Gibbs answered.

"Your what?" Tony asked in shock. "I thought your basement was your woodshop. This makes me wonder what you've really got going on down there. Are you planning on overtaking the government or something? Should I be worried?"

Gibbs' smile reached all the way to his eyes. He knew it was Tony's nerves talking but he also knew he count on the man to follow him into any hell and have his six, no matter the risk. "It's the stuff I used for recon in the Corps," he answered. "You'll be glad we have it in a minute."

Tony picked up the standard issue assault rifle every Marine received at Boot Camp and inspected the weapon. Just like everything else in Gibbs' home, it was spotlessly maintained. "So, what's the plan?" he asked.

"Kaiser's gonna come to us," Gibbs explained.

"And how are we gonna make that happen?" Tony asked.

"I'm banking on him continuing to monitor us," Gibbs said.

"Okay."

"I sent you an email about coming to Stillwater with me. You replied with a lot of enthusiasm."

"Emails are easy enough to hack," Tony commented.

"That's what I'm counting on."

"And when he does, we'll be ready for him."

"Yep," Gibbs answered. "While the FBI is busy tracking down where he's been and guessing where he might go, we're gonna lure him up here and put an end to his reign of terror once and for all." It had been a difficult decision and Gibbs was reluctant to lure a madman to his tiny, innocent hometown but he knew it had to make sense to Kaiser or the man wouldn't come and Stillwater gave him home field advantage so in the end he'd decided that despite the risk, it was his best option.

"Kaiser's really smart, Boss," Tony pointed out, "and this smells like a setup. Do you really think this is gonna work?"

"I think he's so blinded by hate and rage and so focused on his end goal that he'll play right into our hands." Yes, it was a trap and it smelled like a trap but Kaiser was off his game and no longer working off a well thought out plan. Despite how smart the man was, Gibbs was sure he'd walk right into it despite that.

Tony analyzed their supplies and contemplated the plan only briefly before smiling big and nodding. "Alright, let's do it," he said, putting all his faith and confidence in the man he trusted more than anyone else in the world.

"Good," Gibbs said with a grin. "Come on, let's get set up."

Tony busied himself setting up motion detectors and wiring Jack's house with video and audio surveillance. No one was going to even be able to think about setting foot on the property without them knowing about it. While Tony did that, Gibbs set up a few booby traps to better their chances even more. Anything they could do to gain the advantage, he knew they had to do it. Kaiser would come heavy and hard.

"You know what this reminds me of, Jethro?" Tony asked as they both finished up their final tasks.

"A movie?" Gibbs guessed.

"_Home Alone_," Tony answered excitedly. "We're booby trapping the house and waiting for the bad guys to come so we can defend what's ours, which in our case is our friends so it's more of a who. It's the adult version of _Home Alone_. _Home Alone_ for big boys!"

Gibbs smiled in amusement as he listened and reveled in Tony's amusement despite their circumstances. He finished checking the last weapon and tucked it away before looking over at Tony.

"Now what?" Tony asked.

"Now we wait."


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: **I will confess to being a bit insecure about one of the scenes in this chapter (you'll know it when you get to it). Research didn't turn up much and I think I thought about it to the point of over-thinking it so I'm sorry about the cheesiness of it. :P

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Limbo**

Tony watched Jethro pace back and forth in the living room, his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear while he messed with his fingers out of boredom. Tony wasn't sure who was on the other end of the line but judging by the one side of the conversation he could hear, he was guessing it was Fornell. He sat quietly on the couch, texting back and forth with Abby while he watched Jethro. As the conversation went on, it sounded like the news Jethro was receiving wasn't very good but Abby's reports were promising. Just like he and Jethro, she and Tim weren't simply on vacation down south. They were actively working the case.

"Keep me updated," Jethro said before hanging up his phone and running his fingers through his hair.

"Bad news?" Tony asked cautiously.

"One of Fornell's men who was burned in Kaiser's booby trapped apartment died this afternoon," Jethro answered. He hurt for the agent; his heart ached even more for the wife and two young children left behind but after everything else that had happened, he mostly just felt numb.

"This is out of control," Tony said, unsure if he was more sad or angry.

Jethro raised his eyebrows in agreement but quickly changed the topic of conversation, not wanting to be forced to think about the additional loss any longer than he had to. "What'd you find out?"

"Abby sent me a text," Tony answered. "She's been watching our email accounts and apparently she's not the only one. It looks like Kaiser saw your message. The question now is will he take the bait."

"You and I are sitting ducks up here, far away from Quantico, no FBI protection; he'll take the bait," Jethro said confidently. "We just have to give him time to get a plan together."

Jethro sat down next to Tony and tossed his phone onto the coffee table before relaxing against the back of the couch. Tony followed his lead, leaning into Jethro for comfort and support.

"You okay?" Tony asked quietly.

"Not really," Jethro answered.

"It's okay, you know," Tony said. "It's okay to not be okay, especially with me. I won't think any less of you."

"It's not that easy," Jethro replied.

"I know," Tony said, "but it's important. If-if you can't be you around me, if you feel like you have to hide parts of yourself then this, us, it's not gonna work."

Jethro stretched his arm out behind Tony and carefully pulled him closer. He pressed a long kiss to Tony's temple, wanting nothing more than to be close to the man. "I don't know if I can handle any more loss," he confessed. "Every time I turn around somebody else is dying and it all feels like my fault."

"Kaiser wants you to feel like that," Tony pointed out hesitantly, "and he's really good at making that happen but you're stronger than him. You can do this. _We_ can do this. Together." He reached over and took Jethro's hand in his, meshing their fingers together and squeezing, smiling when Jethro readily accepted.

"I know we can," Jethro replied with a smile. "How are you doing with all this?" he asked. "I've been so busy worrying about myself and everybody else that I haven't even asked you."

"It'd all be a little more exhilarating if the stakes weren't so high," Tony admitted, "but I suppose if this is the way we have to play it then I'm okay with it, especially since I'm here with you."

"It's been awhile since we've been up against someone so smart and determined," Jethro said. "I just wanna get Kaiser once and for all so we can put this whole thing behind us."

"Me too," Tony agreed. "We're living in limbo until he's put away which means he's winning again. I hate that."

Jethro closed his eyes and nestled his nose into Tony's hair, inhaling his scent. "Won't last much longer."

"That's right," Tony chanted proudly, "because Team Gibbs is on the case now!" He nestled into Jethro's embrace, humming in blissful pleasure and letting both his mind and body calm and relax in preparation for bed which wasn't far away. His happy chant turned into a yawn, revealing just how tired he was.

"Gettin' sleepy?" Jethro asked.

"Uh-huh. Please tell me there's a bed around here somewhere."

"There's a bed around here somewhere," Jethro replied, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down Tony's arm.

"Mmm," Tony hummed, his voice softening even more. "Please tell me we're sleeping together."

"We're sleeping together."

"Please tell me you're sleeping naked."

Jethro smiled, rubbing his nose into the soft hairs on the side of Tony's head. He knew this was what he'd been waiting for, what they'd both been waiting for but he also knew it was the moment of truth and depending on how the night played out, everything was going to change in one way or another. "I guess you'll have to wait and find out."

Tony yawned dramatically and stretched his good arm behind his head, cautiously puffing his chest out as he did so.

"You feeling even more tired all of a sudden?" Jethro asked calling Tony out on the act he was putting on.

"I've been tired since I got the phone call that the safe house had been shot up and you left the hospital against medical advice," Tony said.

"You and me both," Jethro replied.

"We should go on vacation when this is over," Tony said. "Except I don't ever wanna stay in a hotel again. I wanna be home."

Jethro responded by squeezing Tony's hand, knowing he was doing all he could to fix their situation. Unfortunately, the uphill battle they were facing seemed insurmountable and it didn't help that they were still going back and forth with their suspect and couldn't even get started rebuilding their lives. "I think I'm about ready for bed too."

"Is it safe for both of us to sleep?"

"It should be tonight," Jethro answered, "but we have our surveillance equipment and alerts set up just in case. We'll wake up if anyone sets foot on the property. Okay?" he asked. He could see the worry in the man's eyes and sense the unease he felt. Truth be told, he wasn't totally at peace either but his gut told him they were safe and they'd taken all the precautions they reasonably could. There was no reason for either of them to stay up all night.

Tony smiled and stood, looking down at Jethro after doing so. "Yeah," he answered. "Come on, let's go to bed."

The two headed up to the bedroom and went about their nightly routine, brushing their teeth and washing their faces, turning the bedding back and making sure their weapons were nearby and ready to go. Tony took another long, hard look out the window before closing the blinds and turning back towards Jethro. He started unbuttoning his shirt, looking forward to the day he could get a T-shirt on and off again without excruciating pain. He slipped the shirt off then undid his pants, let them fall to the floor and stepped out of them before crawling into bed, watching as Jethro simply stood nearby, watching him.

"Make love to me before we die," Tony said.

The corners of Jethro's mouth twitched up into a smile. "We're not gonna die, Tony," he replied flatly.

"There's some guy out there trying to blow us up," Tony replied calmly. "He's sneaky and cunning and he's managed to stay one step ahead of us for weeks."

"He's also blinded by rage and hate and not thinking straight," Jethro pointed out just as calmly as he tugged his shirt over his head and began undoing his belt so he could remove his pants. "I checked the house. We've got it wired. We're safe."

"Are you trying to get out of making love to me?" Tony asked.

After stripping out of his clothes, Jethro crawled into bed, hovering over Tony.

Tony smiled as he looked up at the man, watching and waiting to see what Jethro was going to do next. "Do it," Tony whispered, urging the man on.

Jethro dipped his head and their lips met in a kiss. A few pecks turned into cautious exploring with tongues before Jethro pulled back.

"Tell me what you want," Jethro said almost in a growl.

"You."

"How? What do you want from me, Tony?"

"Make love to me," Tony said, repeating his earlier request. "No condoms. There's some lube in my duffle. I want all of you." The romance was put on hold while Jethro quirked an eyebrow at Tony. They'd both been waiting for that very moment to arrive but when and where had Tony gotten the lube? "I snuck out to the store while you were requisitioning supplies," Tony explained. "Now quit stalling and show me what it's like to be had by Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

"Can't do that till your shoulder heals properly," Jethro said deviously as he slipped out of bed to get the lube Tony had brought. Thankfully one of them had been thinking ahead. When he turned back towards the bed, Tony's feet were flat on the mattress, his knees were raised and his legs parted giving Jethro a completely unobstructed view. He swallowed hard as the reality of what was getting ready to happen was made all the more clear.

Jethro slowly crawled back into bed, openly staring at everything that was being offered to him. "You're gorgeous," he breathed, rubbing his hand up Tony's ball sack and wrapping it around his cock.

Tony inhaled deeply as he pushed up into Jethro's hand, his butt coming up off the bed. The move put more pressure on his shoulder, causing a tinge of pain but Tony ignored it. He couldn't have stopped himself if he'd tried.

"Easy," Jethro cooed. He popped the top on the lube and squeezed some onto his fingers. "'little cold," he warned before swiping his fingers across Tony's hole.

Tony's eyes slipped closed and he bit down on his lower lip as he pushed against Jethro's fingers, wanting to feel more of the man quicker after waiting so long. "Don't stretch me too much," he fussed. "I wanna feel you."

"You'll feel me," Jethro replied confidently. He brushed his fingers across Tony's hole again, adding a little more pressure and continued the move until Tony was writhing before slipping a finger inside the man.

"Fuck yes," Tony moaned. "More, Jethro. Give me more."

"I don't know if you're bossy or greedy," Jethro replied offhandedly before smiling and adding, "I like it."

He played using only one finger for a while, touching and exploring, poking and prodding, watching Tony's body language and listening to the sounds the man was making. Once he was sure Tony was ready, he added a little more lube and started easing another finger inside him. He repeated the process and was soon slipping a third finger inside Tony and trying to figure out what position to put him in that would cause the least amount of pain on his collarbone. Tony may not have been worried but he was. He also didn't want to wait any longer, just like Tony.

Tony didn't let his body relax again until Jethro's fingers disappeared completely. He looked up at the man and after sensing his hesitation, he knew exactly what Jethro was thinking. "I'm not fragile," he said, looking up lovingly at the man. "You're not gonna break me."

"Your collarbone is gonna hurt like hell," Jethro replied matter-of-factly.

Tony grazed his hand down the center of Jethro's chest. "Let it."

The patient expression on Jethro's face turned to one of concern. He was guessing Tony had no idea how painful the jostling was going to be and the last thing he wanted to do was cause Tony any more pain. He looked down at Tony for a moment before raising up and crawling out of bed. He calmed Tony's panicked expression by extending his hand to the man.

Tony accepted it and let Jethro help him up. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Downstairs," Jethro answered. "I know it's unconventional but trust me."

"I do trust you."

Jethro grabbed the lube then led the way back downstairs and into the living room with Tony following behind, still holding onto his hand.

"Have a seat," Jethro said, indicating the recliner.

"I thought we were gonna have sex," Tony said, confused.

"Sit down," Jethro said again.

Tony eased himself back into the recliner, using his good hand to stabilize himself until he could make himself comfortable. Jethro's tongue poked out of his mouth, wetting his lips as he carefully climbed into the chair facing Tony, his knees tucked up under Tony's thighs, raising him up just enough he could slip in under him.

He leaned in and kissed Tony as he reached between their bodies and stroked his cock a handful of times.

"Tell me if it hurts," Jethro instructed.

Tony nodded, despite having no intention of doing anything that might put an end to their lovemaking, and watched as Jethro lubed himself up and rubbed his dick back and forth against his hole before easing inside.

Tony's head fell back and his eyes closed as he moaned at the new sensation. "Fuck, you're big," he groaned in bliss.

"Told ya you'd feel me," Jethro replied, concentrating hard on not hurting Tony by going too fast or moving too much. "You okay?" he asked. He couldn't help being concerned, even with the distraction of a long time dream playing out.

"I swear, Jethro, if you don't stop worrying about me and start fucking me I'm gonna flip you over and ride you like you've never been ridden before."

The mental images in Jethro's head caused his dick to pulse inside Tony. Part of him wanted Tony to do just that but that would have to wait until he'd healed a bit more.

"That got a rise outta you," Tony commented. "I can feel your cock throbbing inside me."

"One of these days your mouth's gonna get you in trouble" Jethro warned.

"Is that a promise?" Tony goaded. "'cause if it is, I'm gonna keep on talking."

Jethro leaned in and covered Tony's mouth with his own, the only way he could think of to shut the man up. He rocked his hips, gently at first, moving in rhythm with the rocking of the recliner and hoping Tony was managing to stay relaxed enough that the pain was minimal.

"I know you're taking it easy on me," Tony groaned when the kiss ended, "but it still feels good. You feel so good, Jethro."

The praise inspired another, more passionate kiss and had Jethro picking up the pace slightly, wanting to push farther and be deeper inside him. He felt like he could never be deep enough. He wanted to wholly possess and be possessed by the man he loved more and more each day.

"Mmm-yeah," Tony groaned. "So good. Feels so good. Don't stop, Jethro. Don't ever stop."

As he listened to Tony's encouraging ramblings, Jethro let himself stop worrying about hurting Tony and focused more on making the experience as pleasurable as possible for both of them. He kept his body weight off of Tony and used his position under Tony's legs as leverage, trusting in rhythm with the rocking of the chair to ease at least some of the pressure on Tony's collarbone.

"Every time you bump my balls it sends tingles all over my body," Tony purred, grabbing his dick and balls with his good hand and pushing them into Jethro's body.

"I love that you tell me what you need," Jethro replied, focusing his energy on bumping and rubbing against Tony's most sensitive parts.

"That's easy," Tony replied. "I need you, plain and simple."

"You have me," Jethro said simply.

Jethro's movements were focused rather than rough, hitting all the right spots with impressive accuracy and stamina. All Tony had to do was give himself over to his lover. Jethro did all the work.

Even still, Tony desperately grabbed for Jethro's hand and when he latched on, he tugged it into his lap, pushing it onto his engorged dick. Jethro immediately started jerking, his own excitement growing as the reality of Tony's excitement became all the more real. Precum oozed, coating the shaft of his cock with each stroke, making Jethro's tight grip perfectly slippery.

Tony's breathing turned to heavy panting as he looked down at Jethro's long, strong fingers wrapped tightly around him. He ignored the pain and tried desperately not to thrust his hips like he so desperately wanted to do, knowing the pain it caused would be excruciating. All he could do was rely on Jethro but that didn't worry him because the man was working him over like a pro, like he'd known his body for years. Tony whimpered and cursed, Jethro's name on his lips more than once as an explosive end drew closer and closer.

"Come on, Tony," Jethro urged. "Come on." He repeated it like a chant as he continued rocking in rhythm with the chair and tugging hard on Tony's dick. It was more rigid than it had been all night.

"It feels so good," Tony cried. "You feel so good."

"Come on," Jethro repeated. He held onto Tony's balls with his other hand which immediately sent Tony through the roof. A couple more strokes and Tony was pushing up into Jethro's tight grip as he exploded all over himself with long moans and loud grunts.

As soon as Tony finished, Jethro pulled out in a hurry, stood in front of the recliner and immediately started stroking himself. His breathing pattern changed and his grip tightened and all it took was a couple more strokes before he pointed his cock at Tony and let himself go, adding to the cum all over Tony's chest and belly. Sweaty and sated, he slowed his strokes almost to a stop, letting his heart rate slow and his body calm as he locked eyes with Tony.

"I'm sorry," Tony said as they stared at each other. "I know you took it easy because of my shoulder."

"How is it?" Jethro asked, full of concern. He'd been trying not to ask but he felt like Tony had opened the door.

"It's, uh, kinda sore," Tony answered, reaching for his shoulder but then thinking better of it. "It was worth it, though, and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."

"How about a pain pill?" Jethro suggested.

A devious smile crossed Tony's face, regretting the serious turn their conversation had taken. "You mean so we can do this again in a couple hours?" he asked. "Sure."

Jethro rolled his eyes playfully but decided he'd take it. The pain pill would knock Tony out anyways so all he'd have to worry about would be getting the man into bed before he passed out, not about fending off a sexually charged lover who was as playful as ever, much to the dismay of his battered body. "Sit tight," he said. "I'll get your meds and something to clean up with."

Tony rocked the recliner forward and carefully stood, hoping the change in position would relieve some of the tension. Not all the sweat on his forehead was from the intensity of their lovemaking. Some of it was from the dull pain which had turned to a constant throbbing ache but he'd meant it when he'd said it was worth it and that he'd do it all over again.

"Actually, maybe just some Ibuprofen, Jethro," Tony called, "you know, in case Kaiser shows up."

"Kaiser's not gonna show tonight," Jethro said confidently as he reentered the room. "He needs time to plan. Coming tonight would be careless and he's not careless."

He revealed the bottle of Ibuprofen and Tony's prescription bottle, letting the man choose.

"Just a couple Ibuprofen," Tony said. "I'll be okay."

"Four," Jethro negotiated firmly.

Tony rolled his eyes but smiled and nodded, grateful that Jethro was insisting on 800 milligrams of the pain meds. It would take away some of the pain without knocking him out completely.

Jethro shook four of the small pills into his hand and held it out to Tony along with a water bottle which he'd already opened and left the lid in the kitchen. Tony dutifully took the pills two at a time and sipped the water while Jethro cleaned him up.

"You want a shower?" Jethro offered.

"That depends," Tony replied.

"On?" Jethro knew he shouldn't ask but he did anyways.

"On if you'll be joining me," Tony said with a grin. "You know, with my wounded collarbone."

"Wounded?" Jethro repeated, amused by Tony's word choice. "I'll join you," he agreed.

"Yippee!"

"But," Jethro quickly added, "no play time."

"Well, that's too bad," Tony said, reaching out and dragging his blunt fingertips across Jethro's nipple.

Jethro reached out and held onto Tony's hand, stopping him from exploring further. The corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk as the two stared at each other before Jethro released Tony's hand and spoke.

"Come on, let's go."

"You know, that's what you said to me when you were screwing my brains out a couple minutes ago," Tony teased.

Jethro sighed playfully, turning before Tony could see his smile, and led the way upstairs.

* * *

Tony studied the checkerboard carefully before picking up one of his red pieces and putting it down on a different square. Jethro moved one of his black pieces with what appeared to be no thought at all, frustrating Tony slightly, considering the man was kicking his butt.

"How are you kicking my ass so bad?" Tony grumbled. "You're not even thinking before you move."

Jethro simply smiled in response, waiting as Tony studied the board before making another move.

The ringing house phone interrupted their game and both stared at each other for a moment, wondering if it was Braydon Kaiser or someone else. Most people that would normally call the landline had heard about Jack's death, automatically making Jethro and Tony suspicious.

Tony stayed put in the living room while Jethro headed into the kitchen to answer the phone. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard what he was sure was one side of a conversation with a nosy neighbor. He continued studying the checkerboard while he waited for Jethro to return. After a quick glance into the kitchen to assure Jethro wasn't watching him, he moved a handful of strategic pieces then relaxed against the back of the couch, trying to act as casual as possible.

"Mr. Harris from down the street," Jethro said when he reentered the living room. "Apparently he saw the lights on last night and was concerned."

"Concerned," Tony repeated with a laugh, "that's old person code for nosy."

Jethro smiled and nodded in agreement as he reached out and rearranged the checkerboard to how it had been before he'd stepped out to answer the phone.

"What—how—you're not even, how did you, wha—I don't..."

"You think I'm not paying attention," Jethro said, interrupting Tony's stuttering, "but I am."

"Is that some super-secret Marine trick?" Tony only half joked. "Maybe all Marines really _are_ ninjas."

Jethro grinned in the face of Tony's confusion. "Not _all_ Marines," he teased. "It's your move."

"Maybe after you're done kicking my butt and wiping the floor with it, you can teach me a few of your tricks."

"No tricks," Jethro replied, immediately making his move after Tony was finished with his turn, "it's just a matter of paying attention."

Tony pursed his lips, looking at the board and trying to see what Jethro saw but having no luck. "What else did Mr. Rogers have to say?" he asked distractedly.

"Mr. Harris," Jethro corrected. "He says we've got some weather moving in tonight."

"Snow's good for us," Tony said happily. "We'll see Kaiser's tracks."

"Kaiser's careless, Tony, not stupid," Jethro replied. "He'll wait."

"Well hopefully we don't have to wait till the spring thaw," Tony grumbled. "I want my life back."

"Hang in there with me for a little while longer," Jethro urged. "We're getting close."

"I'll hang in there with you forever, Jethro," Tony said with conviction as he made his next move, "I'm just tired of sharing you. Kaiser always shows his face at the worst times."

"Yeah," Jethro agreed, "he's smart. That's part of his game." He took one of his checkers and eliminated Tony's remaining five pieces in one smooth move. "But it's time to put an end to his game," he added poetically.

"And mine," Tony grumbled, studying the board as if it were going to give up Jethro's secrets.

"You wanna play again or have you had enough?"

"I wanna play again but my stomach's threatening mutiny if I don't get some food," Tony replied, "and I think my brain needs a break."

Jethro smiled in amusement as he lifted the board and tilted the pieces into the box. "How about a grilled cheese and some soup?" he suggested, squeezing Tony's knee affectionately.

"That sounds amazing," Tony answered.

* * *

Jethro checked the screens showing the live feed from the surveillance cameras Tony had set up the day before while listening to the weather report quietly playing on the TV. Tony was napping beside him on the couch, in preparation for staying up all night and keeping watch. They'd decided to take turns sleeping and watching and Tony had insisted on taking the first overnight shift.

For a reason not even known to or understood by him, Jethro reached over and brushed his fingers through the soft hair at Tony's temples. He hadn't felt the desire to reach out and touch or be emotionally intimate with anyone since Shannon had died but Tony was somehow changing that and as much as it scared him, it excited him as well. There was nothing like the spark of true love, the addiction of never being able to get enough of the other person, the sensation of always wanting more, the magical feeling of getting more over and over again and it still not being enough.

"Rub my hair some more," Tony mumbled almost incoherently. "That felt really good."

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Jethro scolded lightly as he weaved his fingers through Tony's thick locks again, happily obliging the man.

"I was till you stopped rubbing my hair."

"Is that better?" Jethro asked, running his fingers through Tony's hair and rubbing his scalp.

"Mmm, yes," Tony hummed, his eyes slipping closed again.

Jethro watched as Tony resettled and slipped back into the peace of blissful unawareness for a while longer, thankful that the man had gone back to sleep. He hated the thought of Tony being up all night but the man had insisted and Jethro didn't want him to think he was babying or coddling him so he'd agreed.

Jethro watched Tony sleep until his bladder forced him to leave Tony's side. After a quick stop at the bathroom he headed to the kitchen to start a late dinner for them to enjoy together before he headed off to bed and Tony settled in for a long night. It would be his first night in bed alone, without Tony. He was surprised by how empty and upset he felt and how much he was dreading it.

He pushed the thought out of his mind for the time being and busied himself in the kitchen. A unique blend of spices his father had taught him long ago were added to a mixture of ground beef and chopped bacon before he formed four large patties and threw them onto a preheated grill pan. He cheered inside at the instant sizzle that sounded and inhaled the wonderful aroma deeply. He turned the light in the oven on and checked on the mac and cheese, a recipe his mother had used long ago. Something about being back in his childhood home had him feeling sentimental and his developing relationship with Tony had him excited to share something special from his past with the man.

"You're not rubbing my head anymore but judging by the smells coming from in here, you have an acceptable excuse," Tony said. His hair was sticking up in every direction imaginable and his eyelids were still heavy with sleep as he made his way into the kitchen.

"C'mere," Jethro said after he'd finished flipping the last of the four burgers.

Tony willingly stepped into Jethro's outstretched arms and was immediately wrapped in a warm embrace where a wet kiss was pressed to his forehead. Tony nestled in and soaked up the affection, immediately deciding he liked waking up to Jethro's loving touches and sweet kisses.

"Did you sleep well?" Jethro asked.

"I always sleep well when you're around," Tony replied stepping closer to the stove and inhaling deeply. "Those smell really good. What's in them?"

"It's a secret," Jethro answered cryptically. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"Did Jack teach you how to make them?" Tony asked without thinking.

The smile faded from Jethro's face momentarily before a faker version of it returned. It was easy to see that the man was trying hard not to think about it too much which made Tony regret bringing it up.

"Yeah," Jethro answered, "he did."

Tony smiled softly and genuinely. "I can't wait to try them," he said quietly.

Without any more conversation, Tony grabbed the buns from the breadbox and the ketchup from the refrigerator while Jethro melted cheese on top of each of the burgers before pulling them out of the pan. Conversation changed to what to do if either of them spotted Kaiser while the other one was asleep and then moved on to strategy talk, each of them theorizing what they would do if they were Kaiser to try to get a better handle on the younger man's plans.

Dinner disappeared quickly over strategy talk then the kitchen was cleaned and Tony settled in in the living room while Jethro headed off to bed feeling like he was turning in much too soon, despite it being the middle of the night.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen: An Unfortunate Nickname **

By the early hours of the morning, Tony was alternating between yawning as he paced the floors and sitting on the couch drinking coffee while he waited, watched and listened. The lightly falling snow outside almost made the all-night vigil seem futile but with Braydon Kaiser on the loose and determined to hunt them down, they couldn't be too careful. Tony was sitting down, finishing off the last of yet another cup of coffee when Jethro showed up downstairs, a heavy fleece blanket slung over his shoulders and his pillow tucked under his arm.

Neither of them said anything as Jethro propped his pillow up against Tony's thigh before stretching out on the couch next to him and spreading the blanket over his body.

"Can't sleep?" Tony asked quietly, secretly loving the fact that Jethro had joined him downstairs and laid down with his head on his thigh.

"It's too quiet," Jethro replied. "I can't sleep without your snoring."

Tony gasped audibly. "I do not snore!" he insisted.

The smile on Jethro's face gave him away and in turn made Tony smile. Tony rested his hand lightly against the side of Jethro's head and when the man accepted the touch, he began to brush his fingers through Jethro's hair.

Jethro nestled in and closed his eyes, not sleeping but relaxing a lot more than he had been upstairs. The bedroom had been lonely and too quiet and he couldn't stop thinking and worrying about Tony. "Is it still snowing?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," Tony answered. "Looks like we have about an inch out there; not very much but who knows how much we'll have in the morning." His fingers moved from the short hairs near Jethro's ear to the strands falling over his forehead, eventually tracing his hairline down to his sideburns.

Tony's soft touches and gentle explorations relaxed Jethro even more and for the first time that night he was finally at peace. It wasn't long before he dropped off into a light sleep.

Jethro's presence seemed to have a calming effect on Tony, as well. The pacing and endless coffee drinking stopped and instead he sat quietly, brushing his fingers gently over his lover's hair. There was so much he could've said to fill the quiet of the night but for the first time in as long as he could remember, he was happy to just enjoy the silence and reflect on all the changes he'd gone through in such a short period of time.

Once the new lovers were in the same room again, the endless night seemed to speed up and morning seemed to dawn in no time at all.

* * *

Tony tucked his knees up against his chest and curled against Jethro's body as he sat on the couch in front of the modest fire his lover had built. The days seemed to be dragging on forever while they sat around waiting for a mad man to show up and attempt to kill them again. There were only but so many board games they could play and TV shows they could watch. Both of them were getting antsy.

"You don't think, I mean, with the snow on the ground here, Kaiser's not gonna get tired of waiting for his moment to come after us and go after one of the others instead, is he?" Tony asked.

"No, I don't think so," Jethro replied. "He knows he only has one more shot at this and based on his actions over the past couple weeks he wants me."

"Us," Tony quickly corrected. "His heaviest attacks were against both of us. He blew up my car, shot up the safe house you were in that first night, blew up both of our homes. Yeah, he threatened the others but his main focus seems to be on us, _both _of us."

Jethro grumbled something incoherent and Tony leaned closer, trying to hear what he was saying.

"What?" Tony asked.

"I said I can't stand the thought of someone going after you," Jethro repeated with a hard, possessive look.

The soft smile on Tony's face turned into a genuine grin as he processed what Jethro had said. He was wanted and not simply with a little passing interest; Jethro's words were fierce and filled with passion and the man didn't look one bit apologetic about them. He reached over and slipped his hand into Jethro's and simply smiled, letting Jethro's words replay in his head over and over again.

* * *

After a long night of watching and waiting, knowing there was still too much snow on the ground for Kaiser to show up, Tony headed up to the bedroom Jethro was sleeping in. Just when he was ready to give up hope of there ever being an end to their situation, the local weatherman restored that hope. It was going to warm up enough to melt the snow that day and Tony couldn't have been more excited.

He stood beside the bed, looking down at his lover's sleeping body for a moment before leaning over and whispering the man's name in his ear.

Jethro smiled sleepily as he reached out and brushed his fingers across Tony's cheek. "Kind of a risky way to wake a sniper who's waiting for a mad man to come and kill him," he said.

"I coulda kissed you instead," Tony offered up.

"I might've preferred that," Jethro growled. He urged Tony into the bed with him and the two immediately started making out.

"Snow's melting," Tony informed his boss while the man peppered his face and neck with kisses. "There's another cold front and more snow moving in late tonight. Kaiser's gonna make his move before it hits. I know it." He brushed his fingers across Jethro's swollen, kiss happy lips and leaned in for another peck before finishing his thought. "Make love to me before we die."

"You have that little faith in me?" Jethro asked with an amused chuckle.

Tony shrugged his good shoulder. "Seemed like a good excuse to get you in bed."

"I'm already in bed," Jethro pointed out.

"Naked," Tony continued.

"I'm halfway there," Jethro said, his voice soft but rough at the same time.

"Inside me," Tony finished in a whisper.

Jethro smiled from ear to ear as he carefully flipped Tony onto his back and rose up over him, straddling his body. One good thing about all the waiting was it had given their battered bodies, Tony's especially, time to heal. He dipped his head and captured Tony's mouth in a passionate, possessive kiss. "That can be arranged," he murmured into the kiss.

Tony started pushing at the hem of Jethro's pajama pants, desperately trying to move them out of the way while Jethro tugged Tony's shirt up and out of the way and ravaged the man's body, kissing and suckling his way to Tony's nipples and then licking and nipping until each was a hardened little nub of excitement. He groaned when Tony finally got his pants pushed down and thrust into the man's hand when it was immediately wrapped around his cock.

"Kinda hard to be inside you when you're still wearing jeans," Jethro pointed out as he kissed his way down Tony's belly, past his belly button. In his excitement, he fumbled with the button and zipper on Tony's pants, struggling to get it open and free Tony. After sliding Tony's pants down, he sat up above the man and grabbed the lube from the nightstand, preparing himself and his lover.

"Tell me if it hurts," he said, rubbing his cockhead against Tony's opening.

"Never," Tony replied honestly.

Jethro simply smiled, knowing that no matter what he said or did, Tony would never stop him but he felt confident he could read the man well enough to know if he needed to stop so he continued. He watched Tony's eyes roll back into his head as he eased himself inside the man, a sight he was sure he would never tire of. Tony's mouth fell open and a long, low moan instinctively slipped out of his mouth before his breath caught and Jethro knew he'd found the man's sweet spot already. It would take lots of time and touching before he thoroughly learned Tony's body but it was an exploration that Jethro was looking forward to.

"You been watching porn all night?" Jethro asked. "You're awfully excitable this morning."

"This is all because of you," Tony replied. "This is what you do to me. Now screw my shoulder and fuck me, Jethro. Stop holding back."

Jethro decided to give Tony what he was asking for and sank deep inside him, his own eyes rolling back in his head as he did so, much like Tony's had moments earlier. He pushed hard against Tony's body in an effort to get impossibly closer to his lover.

"You feel so good," Jethro said, his voice strained. "I love the way your body hugs me."

"You fit perfectly," Tony replied, "like a glove."

Jethro's thrusts were long and a little too gentle for Tony's liking but his already protesting clavicle appreciated the fact that the man knew him and respected him enough to give him what he needed rather than what he wanted. The rhythmic rubbing against that special spot hidden away inside Tony's body was causing Tony to grow more and more aroused with each stroke and pushing him closer and closer to an explosive end. He reached for his cock and squeezed it a couple times before stroking himself, his pace quickening as his excitement grew.

"I'm close already," Tony said.

"We just started," Jethro pointed out. "You're gonna earn yourself an unfortunate nickname," he taunted good-naturedly.

"I'll just blame you and your god-like skills in bed," Tony threw back at the man.

"No complaints here," Jethro replied. "That'd look good on me." He reached down and wrapped his hand around the base of Tony's cock and balls, squeezing to stave off his release. He wasn't finished playing yet. "If this is the last time we make love before we die, we'd better make it count."

Tony grinned from ear to ear. "No complaints here," he said happily.

Jethro took his time touching and exploring, licking and kissing and blowing on some of the most sensitive parts of Tony's body, heightening his senses and need and reveling in the noises and twitches each movement pulled from Tony.

"Look at you," Jethro praised, studying Tony thoughtfully, "all laid out, exposed, vulnerable," he paused, dragging his fingers across Tony's chest before continuing, "mine."

Tony's eyes locked onto Jethro's and the smile already on his face grew impossibly bigger. "Yours," he confirmed.

Jethro took Tony's good hand in his and placed it on his cock. "Stroke yourself," he requested. "I wanna watch."

Tony's eyes stayed locked on Jethro's as he began to tug at his cock; short, slow strokes at first before lengthening them and working himself over more vigorously. Jethro's eyes didn't move from Tony's dick, his own rhythm faltering as his excitement grew and he barreled towards release.

"You like this?" Tony taunted. "You like to watch?"

"Don't stop," Jethro ordered in response.

"Never," Tony whispered, his breathing deepening and his strokes growing more and more erratic.

After a series of grunts and jerks, Jethro pushed deep inside Tony and hammered relentlessly, sweat dripping from his brow before he opened his mouth and an ecstatic cry rumbled from deep within. Tony jerked himself harder, watching and listening to Jethro's release and letting that push him over the edge. Moments later his toes were curling almost painfully and his lower back came up off the bed at the sheer intensity as he spurted out all over his belly and chest.

Jethro waited until Tony stopped stroking before resting a hand on his heaving chest to calm the man as he slowed to a stop.

"That was definitely worthy of a last fuck," Tony joked, "but we better get Kaiser before he gets us 'cause I really wanna do it again."

One side of Jethro's mouth turned up into a smile as he eased out of Tony's body and stretched out onto the bed on his side next to his lover. "It was good for me too," he said before extending his neck and kissing the man, "and that was only the beginning."

"You can't tell but my dick's already twitching in excitement," Tony said.

Jethro splayed his fingers out across Tony's messy belly as he stared down at the man, studying everything about him as if he were the most interesting thing in the room. It was quite some time before he finally spoke and broke the silence. "When you wake me up tomorrow, do it with a kiss," he said.

Tony reached out and brushed his fingers across Jethro's lips. "I'll remember that."

Jethro let his eyes roam over Tony's body, looking longingly at the man for several moments longer before gently patting his thigh and rising. "We should get up," he said. "We have a lot to do today."

"Okay," Tony agreed, "but after we get Kaiser, we're spending an entire week in bed, naked, together."

Jethro grinned as he nodded. "Sounds good to me."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty: Lying in Wait **

Dusk fell over Stillwater early that winter evening, setting the stage for what Jethro and Tony were sure was Kaiser's impending arrival. The temperature had warmed up just enough to melt the snow earlier that day and another storm front promising more snow would come in later that evening. If their bad guy was as anxious about the showdown as they were, he'd take advantage of the small window of opportunity.

After a late, lite dinner, Tony followed Jethro up to the bedroom at the man's request. Fully prepared to strip down and enjoy a little more adult playtime, he quickly realized that wasn't what his lover had in mind when the man stepped out of the closet carrying the Kevlar vests he'd packed before leaving DC.

"Not what you were expecting?" Jethro asked in amusement when he saw Tony's face drop. He pulled one of the vests over his head and secured it to his body as he watched Tony out of the corner of his eye.

"Not even close," Tony muttered, disappointment written all over his face.

"We've got other things to do tonight," Jethro said. He grabbed the second vest and slipped it over Tony's head then helped him secure it to his body, cautious of his partner's tender shoulder. After looking Tony over and deeming him ready, Jethro looked the man straight in the eye. "You focused?" he asked.

"I'm focused," Tony confirmed with a sharp nod of his head.

Jethro maintained eye contact for a moment longer before his eyes raked over the man's body and his feelings for the man overpowered him. He grabbed Tony by the front of the vest, tugged him closer and kissed him hard until the need for air forced them apart. The kiss ended almost as abruptly as it started, Jethro knowing that if he lingered any longer they'd be doing so much more than simply kissing. He released Tony, his eyes still pinning the man in place. "Let's get this bastard," he said with more determination than he'd felt since the whole mess had started.

After days of nothing to do but go over their plan of attack over and over again, there wasn't much left to go over that evening. The two took up their positions, not knowing how long they'd have to wait for Kaiser's arrival but both of them confident it wouldn't be long. There would be no taking turns sleeping that night. They'd both stay awake and alert in anticipation of the impending showdown.

The entire house was shrouded in darkness, not giving away any clues about where they were or what they might be doing. Minutes felt like hours and as the night dragged on their patience was tested more and more, especially Tony—who didn't have the patience of a sniper.

Tony waited in an upstairs bedroom overlooking the front yard, watching surveillance cameras and peeking out the window with the night vision goggles Jethro had given him a crash course in using. Jethro sat downstairs on the opposite side of the house, watching the backyard with his own pair of night vision goggles. They communicated with an older model military version of walkie talkies but so far there hadn't been much to communicate so Tony's silly comments and playful running commentary was dominating the airwaves, helping keep the situation light and adding a bit of fun to the tenseness.

"It's starting to snow again," Jethro said when Tony went quiet.

"I noticed that," Tony replied. "Are we still thinking he's coming tonight?"

Jethro was quiet for a moment as he thought it over before pushing the button on his radio making it beep. "The snow's not gonna melt for at least a day or two. Kaiser won't wanna wait that long. He'll be here."

After Tony's rendition of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, skillfully naming a different brew each verse, and an impromptu and very personal and meaningful yet goofy serenade to his lover, silence once again fell over the house. An alarm sounded on the laptop near Tony, making his heart race as he scanned the front yard for the source of the alert. It took him mere seconds before he spotted the male figure matching Kaiser's body type, dressed completely in black making his way across the front yard. His footprints were already visible in the dusting of snow on the ground, making him easy to track.

"Bogey in the front," Tony reported over the radio, "looks like he's making his way around the side of the house, headed your way. He's coming in from the south."

Jethro grabbed the baseball bat he had at the ready and crept into position by the back door while he listened to Tony's play by play over the radio. Ear comms would've been ideal but he didn't have access to those and didn't want to draw attention to their trip by checking any out from NCIS or the FBI.

Tony's attention turned from the window to the security camera feed when Kaiser disappeared from his line of vision. He continued to keep his partner updated while simultaneously preparing to head downstairs and join him.

"Kaiser's coming in in five... four... three... two..."

Tony didn't voice the 'one', not wanting to risk Kaiser hearing it and being made aware that they were laying in wait for him but the number sounded loud and clear in Jethro's head and as soon as the door opened and Kaiser entered, he swung the bat in his hand with all his force, directly at their perp's head.

Kaiser heard the swoosh of the bat as it came towards him and just barely managed to grab onto it and prevent the hit and just like that the fight was on.

Gunshots peppered the kitchen, sending Jethro diving for cover until Tony managed to sneak in behind Kaiser in all the chaos and, with absolutely no regard for his healing collarbone, got Kaiser in a headlock. The sudden presence of another person caught their perp off guard enough he dropped his gun but it didn't throw him off enough he couldn't fight. Kaiser managed to break out of the headlock by flipping Tony onto his back, hard, and ducking into the dining room, hoping for a chance to regain his bearings.

Jethro pulled the pin on one of the grenades that had been strapped to his gear and tossed it into the dining room as he grabbed onto the handle on the back of Tony's vest and pulled him to safety.

Kaiser heard the unmistakable sound of the grenade rolling across the floor and threw himself out the window a fraction of a second before the explosion, avoiding any real harm but making him angrier than ever. The determined young man headed around the house towards the front door to try to get in again. He was done with sneaking around and trying to be stealthy. He was angrier than ever and wanted nothing more than to see the two agents inside suffer.

"How's your arm?" Jethro asked, assessing Tony's condition.

"Fucked," Tony answered, showing Jethro it had been dislocated again from either the headlock or being flipped.

Jethro cringed in sympathy and with no warning at all, skillfully popped it right back into place for Tony. He gave his partner a brief moment to collect himself before patting the man's cheek and catching his eye. "You with me?" he asked.

Tony shook it off, knowing he'd feel like shit in the morning. At the moment he was running on pure adrenaline and feeling invincible and he was going to take advantage of that. "I'm good," he answered. "Let's go. Let's get Kaiser."

The sound of the front door being kicked in alerted Jethro and Tony to Kaiser's position and his new lack of patience. The agents shared a look, each confirming that the other one was ready then they cautiously made their way through the disheveled dining room, towards the front of the house. When they made it to the living room, Jethro laid down cover fire while Tony peeked around the corner to get a handle on Kaiser's position. The gunfire stopped when Tony pulled his head back and told Jethro using hand motions where Kaiser was.

"Give yourself up, Kaiser," Jethro ordered. "This ends here, tonight, one way or another."

Kaiser gave his answer by firing at the agents. Jethro and Tony ducked for cover but a high pitched shriek told Jethro they hadn't been fast enough.

"You hit?" he called.

"It is but a flesh wound," Tony moaned, doing his best Black Knight impression as Jethro dug a spent round out of the Kevlar vest Tony was wearing.

Jethro ignored what he was sure was a movie reference of some sort as he righted Tony, his mind racing to figure out a plan to gain control of the situation.

"Another grenade?" Tony asked, rubbing his chest where the bullet would've penetrated had he not been wearing the vest.

"I've got a better idea," Jethro replied. "You distract him. I'm going around."

Without questioning his lover's risky plan at all, Tony provided a steady stream of cover fire to distract Kaiser while Jethro quickly made his way back through the disheveled dining room and kitchen, to the hallway that would end up behind Braydon. Sirens off in the distance, consistently growing louder offered an additional distraction and hope for the agents that Kaiser wouldn't get away again.

Knowing his window of opportunity was closing quickly, Kaiser fired off an entire clip in the direction of the living room where he assumed both agents still were. When he released the empty clip with one hand while grabbing another with his other hand, a sharp pain started in his head and quickly spread throughout his body. His world went dark almost instantly and he fell lifelessly to the floor.

Jethro stood over the man, the gun he'd just knocked him in the head with now pointed at him in case he had any fight left in him. "Clear," he yelled after a moment, once he was sure their perp going to stay down. His heart stopped when he got no response from Tony. Jethro dropped to one knee and rapidly searched Kaiser before cuffing the unconscious man so he could safely check on his partner. "Tony," he yelled, his voice filled with terror.

Out front the sirens grew even louder as red and blue lights reflected off the dark walls inside the house. Once Kaiser was secured, Jethro hurried to Tony's side and his worst fears were realized.

"I'm hit," Tony choked out before coughing painfully.

When Jethro realized it was blood that had sprayed out as Tony coughed terror like nothing he'd ever experienced before gripped him. "No, Tony," he said desperately, "don't do this to me."

"Stillwater PD," an unfamiliar voice called from the door.

"NCIS! Clear!" Jethro yelled. Ever since his visit years earlier, everyone in town, law enforcement especially, knew Jackson Gibbs' son was now a federal agent. "We need EMS in here now!"

The officer flipped the light on and ignored the chaos of the scene as he carefully made his way over to where Jethro and Tony were without disturbing anything. He radioed dispatch to send more backup units and to send EMS over from where they were staging a close distance away as he dropped down on the other side of Tony.

Jethro opened the Kevlar vest hiding Tony's midsection and saw that a bullet had somehow hit him in the lower abdomen. Before he had too much time to panic, the EMTs were there, taking over Tony's care while the first responding officer was trying to get any information he could out of Jethro.

Jethro simply ordered Kaiser under heavy guard before jumping into the back of the ambulance with Tony and being whisked away to the only hospital in Stillwater with the sirens blaring and the lights flashing.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One: The battle is over but did they win the war?**

The frequent visits to the hospital were really starting to get under Jethro's skin. He'd lost track of how many times he'd been over the last few weeks and for a man who couldn't have hated hospitals any more if he tried, the fact that he'd darkened the door at all was really saying something. The waiting room was beginning to feel more like home than anywhere else and some unseen deity seemed hell-bent on forcing him to learn patience, even if it killed him.

Not long after they'd arrived at the small trauma center in Stillwater, Pennsylvania, Tony had been raced off to emergency surgery leaving Jethro alone and scared in the waiting room. He had no Ducky to get him answers and his demands for information were falling on the deaf ears of nurses who simply didn't have any answers to his questions and were too understaffed and overworked to get the answers for him. He'd given up on them shortly after Tony had been whisked away, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Unfortunately, the longer he was alone with his thoughts, the more worst case scenarios popped into his head. Bullet wounds and coughing up blood were nothing to scoff at and he didn't like the fact that Tony had been hurried to emergency surgery one bit.

"You son of a bitch!" The familiar voice, although angry, grounded Jethro and allowed him to breathe a comforting sigh of relief. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking about catching this bastard and ending this once and for all," Jethro replied heatedly. He was ready for a fight with anyone who was interested in taking him on. He had so much pent up energy and angst he would've taken on Muhammed Ali if the man had walked through the door.

"By using yourself as bait?" Fornell asked incredulously.

"What you were doing wasn't working!" Jethro yelled back, the argument a welcome distraction from Tony's unknown but possibly dire state.

"You barely gave me a chance!"

"I've been bounced around from safe house to safe house for the last month. You had plenty of chance!"

"Gentlemen! This is a hospital," one of the nurses scolded harshly.

Jethro looked from the nurse back to Fornell and lowered his voice dangerously. "Try not to lose Kaiser this time," he snarled.

Both agents stared each other down for a moment as they calmed. Once she was sure the men were done fighting, the nurse left them on their own once again. Fornell plopped down into the chair next to Jethro and released a long, deep breath.

"How is he?"

"He'll be fine," Jethro answered without any hesitation.

"What'd the doctor say?"

"Nothing, yet. I wish Ducky was here to get me some information."

"If you haven't talked to the doctor yet then how do you know Tony'll be... you know what? Never mind."

Jethro gave a satisfied nod at his friend's decision not to ask his question.

"There's a team of Homeland and FBI agents flying in tonight to escort Kaiser back to DC," Formell said. "It'll be a little while before we're ready to head back. Do you want me to wait with you?"

"Do whatever you want," Jethro grumbled. He shook his head at his harsh tone and rubbed at his temples. With Kaiser in custody he no longer needed to be on high alert and all the stress was overflowing, unfortunately onto anyone around him. He believed in his heart that Tony would be okay but he wouldn't have any peace until he heard it from the doctor and saw for himself. "Sorry," he grunted. "I'm tired, Tobias."

Fornell nodded in acceptance, harboring no ill feelings towards one of his best friends. "Why don't I see if I can scrounge us up some coffee," he offered.

"Thanks," Jethro said.

"Anything to make sitting around in this waiting room with you more bearable," Fornell teased as he stood and made his way down the hall towards the nurses station.

Jethro's eyes cut to the side and his tight lipped expression hinted at a smirk as he watched his friend go, thankful for the man's patience and willingness to sit with him, despite his grumpiness.

* * *

In the very early hours of the following morning, long after Fornell and his team had successfully gotten Kaiser back to Washington DC, Jethro followed the same nurse who'd scolded him and Fornell earlier that night down a long hallway towards the recovery room where Tony was out of surgery and waiting.

He knew from an earlier update that one of the bullets that had embedded itself in Tony's Kevlar had caused some bruising in his lung, a pulmonary contusion the doctor had called it, which had been the cause of the blood he'd coughed up. The bullet that had managed to slip in under his vest had been removed from his abdomen where it had done minimal damage. Tony was a little beat up again and his arm was back in a sling after the second dislocation but there would be no long term effects. All things considered, it was a best case scenario.

"You look like hell," Jethro said softly, assessing Tony's condition as he approached the man's bed.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Tony asked.

"Just a couple bumps and bruises," Jethro replied dismissively. He'd reluctantly let one of the ER doctors look him over and run a few tests while Tony was in surgery. A bullet to his Kevlar vest would cause quite a bit of soreness and another colorful bruise but other than that, a few cuts and scrapes and the stress and exhaustion that had been building and slowly getting worse over the weeks, there was nothing really wrong with him. All he needed was some honest to goodness rest and a chance for his body to heal.

"You gotta get me outta here, Jethro. I want in on the transport team taking Kaiser back to DC. We can't risk losing him again. I can't take this anymore."

"Kaiser's already back in DC," Jethro said, reaching for Tony's hand. "He's safely tucked away in a holding cell."

"It's like déjà vu all over again," Tony said. "There better be a different outcome this time."

"There will be," Jethro said confidently. "How are you feeling?"

"Like death warmed over," Tony answered coldly. "You?"

"'bout the same."

"We gotta get out of here," Tony said again. "You never get any peace in hospitals. Please. I really just wanna go home; wherever that is."

"Can you walk?" Jethro asked.

"I don't know. Help me get up and we'll see."

"I have a better idea," Jethro said, pushing the call button.

"They're not gonna let us leave," Tony protested.

"They're not gonna have a choice."

"Something I can help you guys with?" a young, pretty nurse asked as she poked her head in the room.

"On second thought, this is gonna be way too easy," Tony joked.

"We're ready to go," Jethro replied leaving no room for debate.

"But he just got out of surgery," the young nurse protested.

"Something came up," Tony lied. "We'd love to stay and chat but we really gotta go."

The nurse cocked her head in confusion at Tony's words. She wasn't experienced in dealing with tough guys and was unsure what to do to get them to see reason. The way they were looking at her made her not want to try to reason with them at all. Her mentor had chosen a bad time to go on break. "You'll have to sign the paperwork stating you're leaving against the advice of your doctor," the nurse said.

"I'll sign whatever," Tony said. "Just get these needles and probes out of me."

* * *

The diner not far from where Jethro's house used to stand was empty at 10:00 in the morning when Jethro and Tony walked through the door, exhausted and hungry and unsure if they'd rather be eating or sleeping. The two had made the long drive back to DC after leaving the hospital in Stillwater, both of them just wanting to be home and put everything related to Braydon Kaiser behind them once and for all.

Elaine looked up from the fresh pot of coffee she was preparing when the bell on the door rang and her face dropped when she saw the state two of her favorite federal agents were in… again. "Is it over?" she asked, her voice hopeful but barely above a whisper.

"It's over," Jethro confirmed unable to hide his exhaustion.

The always cheerful woman visibly relaxed at the news. "You two here for breakfast or lunch?" she asked, her perkiness returning as she grabbed a carafe of coffee and headed around the counter towards the table the two were settling into.

"Breakfast," Jethro answered, "and maybe a nap."

"Breakfast I can do, Honey," Elaine replied warmly, "I'm afraid you're going to have to find somewhere else for your nap if you want any chance at getting some sleep and it looks like you really need sleep; that goes for the both of you." She filled both cups on the table with steaming coffee and made sure they had silverware. Neither man needed a menu. They were frequent enough visitors and favorites around the diner. Elaine would make sure they got whatever they wanted, whether it was on the menu or not.

"You have no idea," Tony mumbled sleepily.

The two men ordered toast, a couple eggs and a few pieces of bacon or 'whatever Elaine had laying around in the back' and waited patiently while their meals were prepared. They hadn't slept at all the night before and barely any the previous day in anticipation of Kaiser's arrival and the adrenaline left over from the confrontation was fading quickly. Even excitement over getting their life back wasn't helping much. They needed sleep and the sooner the better, but first, food.

"We headed back to the Holiday Express?" Tony asked.

"Unless you've got a better idea," Jethro answered. Tony shook his head and Jethro wasn't sure if the man looked more exhausted or defeated. "We'll start apartment hunting tomorrow, if that's something you still want to do."

"Definitely," Tony answered. "I'm tired of hotels. I'm tired of everything right now. I just wanna be normal again. I wanna be normal with you."

"I don't have a clue what normal is, Tony."

"Guess we'll have to figure it out together," Tony replied with a sense of determination.

* * *

Despite their undeniable exhaustion, Tony only slept for three hours before he awoke and less than thirty minutes later Jethro was starting to stir too. When Tony realized his lover was awake, he scooted closer to the man and tucked himself up against the man's strong, warm body.

"Time is it?" Jethro mumbled.

Tony rubbed at his forehead where a headache was starting to build. "Ten to four," he answered, clearly as unhappy as Jethro was about being awake.

"Then why are we awake?" Jethro grumbled, cautiously stretching his achy joints before wrapping Tony in a hug. When had he turned into a hugger and a cuddler?

"I wish I knew."

Jethro kissed the top of Tony's head and kept his body relaxed. There was no reason for either of them to get up and despite being awake, he was still exhausted. Tony nuzzled his nose against Jethro's nipple before his tongue poked out and teased it into a hard nub.

"That's nice," Jethro hummed.

Tony responded by wrapping his mouth around the hardened nub and suckling on it before releasing it and pressing a kiss to it. "You should call Fornell," he said, resting his chin against his lover's chest and looking up at the man.

"You go from kissing my nipple to wanting me to call Fornell?" Jethro questioned.

Tony shrugged, trying not to act suspicious. "You know, just to be sure Kaiser's still where he's supposed to be."

"I'm sure he woulda called if something happened," Jethro replied patiently.

"I know," Tony said, doing his best to downplay the situation, "but you never know. Maybe the Feebs would be too embarrassed to admit to losing him again."

Jethro eyed Tony suspiciously. The fact that his lover was pushing for a phone call to Fornell rather than a slow, relaxed fuck told Jethro something was bothering the man—something big. He doubted questioning Tony about his suspicions would get him anywhere though so he reached for his phone on the nightstand instead. "Okay," he agreed, "but only if you keep kissing my nipple. I like that."

Tony maintained eye contact with Jethro as his tongue slipped out of his mouth and flicked across Jethro's nipple again. Jethro smiled down at Tony and rested his hand against the back of his lover's head, running his fingers through Tony's hair as he dialed Fornell's number and brought the phone to his ear.

Several minutes later, after Fornell had assured Jethro that Kaiser was, indeed, still in custody and had brought him up to speed on how the rest of his team was doing and when they would be home, Jethro ended the call and set his phone aside.

Tony, who'd moved on to Jethro's other nipple and worked it over just as thoroughly as the first, crawled up Jethro's body, stretched out next to him and settled in, his head resting in the crook of the man's shoulder as his fingers played with the coarse hairs peppering his chest.

"Kaiser was transported to the prison earlier this afternoon. He's in the maximum security ward. He's not going anywhere."

"Good," Tony said, really letting himself relax again. "When are the others coming home?"

"They'll get in over the next three days," Jethro answered. "It sounds like everyone's ready to just be home."

_'Lucky them,' _Tony thought but he didn't say anything. He was tired and grumpy and he knew things would look better after a good night's sleep. Hopefully it wouldn't take long for him and Jethro to change their situation so they could 'just be home' as well.

As if he knew Tony was struggling, Jethro rested his hand against the man's back and started lovingly kneading his tense muscles, not saying anything. The erection brought on by Tony's attention to his nipples was beginning to wane, leaving behind only the few drops of precum that had leaked out and dripped down onto his abdomen.

"I wish I was as strong as you," Tony said quietly. If he wanted Jethro to be open and honest with him he knew he had to trust the man enough to be open with him.

"It's easier with you here," Jethro replied with a shrug.

"Really? Why?"

Jethro didn't hesitate with his answer to the question. "Because I know whatever happens, I don't have to face it alone."

The way his lover made it sound so simple put a smile on Tony's face. With all the chaos courtesy of Kaiser, Tony hadn't really known what to expect from Jethro or out of a relationship with the man but statements like that gave him hope and he could already feel his sour mood lifting. It almost made him want to throw the 'love' word out there but at the same time it felt like it might be a little too soon for that and he didn't want to spoil any progress they might be making. "I'm glad we're doing this together too," he said instead.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two: At Jethro's Mercy **

The rental house Jethro and Tony had finally signed their names to the lease of had been a picture of compromise for the two. It was bigger than Tony's former place but smaller than Jethro's, more modern than Jethro was used to but not as updated as Tony's condo had been, had more of a yard than Tony was interested in taking care of but not quite enough for Jethro to spread out in and was a little too close to the heart of the city for Jethro but not quite close enough for Tony; yet despite all the seeming shortcomings, the place was somehow perfect for both of them.

Even more perfect was the older couple acting as their landlords. After losing their son to suicide over relentless bullying because of his sexual orientation, the couple had a soft spot in their hearts for anyone in the LGBT community, even though Jethro and Tony didn't flaunt their lifestyle. The couple seemed to figure it out right away, though, and had an instant liking for their new tenants. They'd gone above and beyond to be accommodating which had made the transition easier on the agents.

Tony stretched out in the bed that had come with the fully furnished townhouse, letting the sun creeping in the window warm his naked body partially covered by luxury linens, a splurge he'd insisted was necessary. "You awake?" he asked, sensing an extra set of eyes on his body. He opened his eyes to find Jethro next to him in bed, staring down at him. "Of course you are."

"But I'm still in bed," Jethro pointed out. He knew Tony didn't like it when he rose with the sun and disappeared from the bed as soon as he was awake.

"And I appreciate that."

It had been five weeks since Kaiser's capture in Stillwater and was day one of Jethro and Tony's weeklong staycation, the week they'd planned on spending at home, naked, in bed. Unfortunately that part of their plans would have to wait until after their final follow up doctor appointment for a final check on Tony's collarbone and Jethro's ankle.

"You doing okay?" Jethro asked.

Tony looked confused and answered hesitantly. "Yeah. Why?"

Jethro smiled reassuringly. "When you share a bed with someone, Tony, you get to know their sleep patterns, or, in your case, lack of sleep patterns. What's going on with you?"

"I don't know," Tony replied trying not to sound too defensive. "I think it's just all the changes; new house, new environment, lots of new happening."

Jethro studied Tony hard for a long moment before nodding, accepting his explanation. "We should hop in the shower. Gotta be to the doctor in less than an hour."

"I wish I woulda woken up sooner," Tony said regretfully.

"A little anticipation," Jethro said, reaching for Tony's morning erection and giving it a squeeze, "can be a very good thing."

Tony inhaled deeply, letting his eyes fall closed as he enjoyed the attention before Jethro's hand disappeared all too quickly. "Are you sure we have to go to the doctor?" he asked. "Can't we just hang out here? We've been going off and on for weeks and the doctor's just gonna tell us we're fine."

Jethro patted Tony's bare ass to get him moving before he slipped out of bed. "I'm sure," he said, "but we have the first appointment so we shouldn't have to wait and it shouldn't take that long. Let's get it over with."

The two shared the double shower, quickly cleaning themselves up before slipping into some of the new casual clothes they'd bought once it was safe to come out of hiding. Tony had done most of the shopping for both of them, something he was excited about and Jethro was thankful for.

After a long, twisty journey on backroads to avoid the morning rush hour, Jethro parked the Dodge Challenger at the hospital with ten minutes to spare and the two headed inside. They were making their way towards the elevator when a voice behind them had them cringing and smiling at the same time.

"Well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes!"

"Nurse Harris," Jethro replied warmly.

"I have a sudden urge to run," Tony joked before giving the woman a friendly, one-armed hug.

"How are you guys?" the jovial woman asked, looking both men over. She couldn't help it. It was the nurse in her.

"We followed all your orders and healed up perfectly," Tony answered.

"Uh-huh," the nurse replied skeptically. "That's why you're still wearing the sling you were told you could take off weeks ago."

Tony's eyes widened in panic for a brief moment before his face relaxed into a smile again. "I just like to be extra cautious," he lied.

"Anthony DiNozzo, you are a bad liar."

"I'm a good liar!" Tony protested before lowering his voice to a conspicuous whisper, "but in all honesty I haven't been wearing it the whole time. I just put it on for show for today's appointment."

"Now that I believe," the nurse replied with a satisfied nod. "What I'm not quite sure I understand is why you're still wearing it at all." Neither man explained but the looks on their faces told Nurse Harris all she needed to know. "You two took down that dirt bag by yourselves, didn't you?" she asked. "He came after you again and despite already being beat to hell, you guys got him."

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do," Jethro replied.

"How'd you know?" Tony asked.

"You look guilty as sin," the woman teased. "I read the newspaper and I've been around the block enough times to be able to fill in the blanks. I don't want to make you guys late for your appointment but it was really good to see you both. Don't be strangers."

"Thank you, Nurse Harris," Tony said sincerely.

Jethro smiled at the woman and raised his chin in a show of respect. "Thank you," he said.

"Any time, now you two get out of here."

Jethro and Tony continued on their way, making it to the doctor office with a minute to spare. They signed themselves in and sat down to wait half paying attention to the morning talk show on the TV, half watching the clock, already antsy to get out of there.

They didn't have to wait long before a nurse came and got them and recorded their vitals. They were sent off for their x-rays before being sent back to their exam rooms to wait for the doctor. Jethro sat up taller when the door handle turned and gave an amused smirk when Tony poked his head in instead of the doctor like he'd been expecting.

"What're you doing?" he asked.

Tony shrugged as he closed the door behind him and plopped down on the exam table next to Jethro. "I was bored," he explained. "It's not like this is some top secret, super private exam."

"I'm happy for the company."

The two made small talk and discussed what they needed to get done that day while they waited. By the time the doctor finally entered, Tony was giggling about how domestic they'd turned, talking about groceries and laundry and whose turn it was to cook dinner.

"Did my nurses put you both in the same room?" the doctor asked, looking from his clipboard to the number on the exam room door in confusion.

"No," Tony answered. "We got bored. _I _got bored but we're together so it's all good. Give it to me straight, Doc. How long do I have? Six months? A year? I can take it."

A light cuff to the back of his head put an end to Tony's silliness and a roll of Jethro's eyes told the doctor that Tony had just been messing around. The younger agent's first cup of coffee of the day on an empty stomach with nothing to soak it up had resulted in him being in rare form.

"How're we lookin', Doc?" Jethro asked.

"You're both healing up nicely," the doctor answered. "I was sure the little setback you had a couple weeks ago would slow you down, Agent DiNozzo, but it didn't. I'm giving you both a clean bill of health."

"Thanks, Doc," Jethro said. It seemed like a big victory after spending months on the wounded list.

"A clean bill of health," Tony repeated excitedly. "Do you know how much fun we could have with a clean bill of health?"

"Or how much trouble we could get into," Jethro pointed out and was that a gleam in his eye when he said it?

"It's all in the perspective," Tony replied. He reached for Jethro's thigh but his hand was playfully swatted away before his fingers reached too close to Jethro's dick.

"Not here," the older man scolded lightly.

The doctor's eyes widened when he realized just how together his two patients were but he simply smiled and continued filling out the forms that cleared both men for work. After quickly finishing up his paperwork, Jethro and Tony were sent on their way and headed off to the grocery store before returning home.

"You ready to eat now or do you wanna wait?" Jethro asked. They'd managed to carry all the shopping bags in with one trip, something Jethro had insisted was unnecessary but Tony, after living in a high rise, prided himself on being able to do.

"That chicken smells really good," Tony replied. "I think I'm ready to eat now."

"It cost ten bucks; it better be good," Jethro said, popping the top off the rotisserie chicken they'd brought home with them for an easy lunch. Apparently the butter garlic chickens were considered premium chickens and their price reflected it. Neither Jethro nor Tony knew about the premium price until they'd made it to the register and by then neither of them wanted to take the time to go back and swap it out.

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to this," Tony said in amusement.

"Used to what?"

"This domesticated version of you," Tony answered, "of us. It's kind of hilarious. Maybe we should have a tea party next."

Jethro rolled his eyes as he skillfully carved the chicken.

"We probably shoulda got something green or a vegetable of some sort," Tony said, digging around in the bags they'd just brought in for the paper plates they'd bought.

Jethro raised his eyebrows in an 'are you kidding me?' expression which had Tony backpedaling.

"You're right," Tony said. "We have meat. We're men. We don't need anything else."

"Are you nervous?" Jethro asked. "Because you're rambling."

"Me? Nervous?" Tony asked as if the question were preposterous. "What do I have to be nervous about?"

"I don't know," Jethro replied rhetorically, "maybe the fact that we're finally alone with no possibility of being interrupted. Maybe I should put lunch in the fridge for later. Maybe there're more pressing matters that need my attention."

Tony swallowed hard but said nothing. Their week alone, naked sounded heavenly so why was he suddenly feeling shy and nervous now that it was happening?

When there was no objection from Tony, Jethro put their meal in the refrigerator to be eaten later and approached Tony. "Well, are you gonna get naked or was that all talk?" he asked with a low, breathy voice.

Tony's eyes stayed locked on Jethro's as the man dragged his fingers up Tony's abdomen, taking Tony's shirt with them and tugging it over his head. He let it fall to the floor then traced his fingers down the center of Tony's chest, through the hair, over his belly button, to the front of his pants. He splayed his hand out across the front of Tony's pants, rubbing against his already hardening cock.

"No wonder you're rambling," Jethro said softly. "All your blood's headed south." He slipped his thumb between Tony's skin and pants and let it rest painfully close to the man's aching cock but was careful not to touch it yet.

"Are you gonna touch me?" Tony asked, staring at the place where Jethro's thumb disappeared into his pants.

"Oh yeah," Jethro replied. "Don't you worry. I'm gonna touch you all over."

Tony pushed his hips out and up, trying to subtly make contact with Jethro's thumb but the man pulled back just enough to keep that from happening.

"If this was what you wanted, all you had to do was tell me," Jethro said with a hint of an arrogant smile on his face.

"This is what I want," Tony replied, part of him hoping it wasn't too late and part of him hoping it was. He wondered what it would be like if Jethro decided to torture him a little, make him beg and plead for every bit of gratification.

"Tell me what you want," Jethro goaded, pushing his thumb farther into Tony's pants until it grazed against his already slick cockhead.

"This," Tony answered. The more Jethro taunted and teased him, the more desperate he grew and harder it got to put any coherent thoughts together and get them from his mind to his mouth. "Please, Jethro."

"What?" Jethro asked innocently, an amused grin on his face. "I'm right here, holding you, toughing you, loving you. You have my full attention. Tell me what you need."

"You," Tony answered. "Everything. Something." What did he need? Maybe he didn't want to find out what it was like to be tortured by his lover. He couldn't even tell him what he needed.

"You can't even tell me, can you?" Jethro asked with an amused chuckle. "I bet you couldn't put two words together right now if you had to."

"Fuck," Tony breathed, his lover's words turning him on even more.

"There's one word," Jethro teased, popping the button on Tony's pants and lowering the zipper. He reached into Tony's underwear and freed the man's cock then used it to gently guide him into the dining room.

"Jethro, please," Tony pleaded again. He'd gone from spending the morning staring at the man's ass in the jeans he'd chosen for him to getting ready to enjoy a nice lunch together to being led around by his dick and the desire that had been building all morning was quickly overwhelming him the more Jethro touched him.

"Don't worry," Jethro replied, finally taking mercy on Tony and giving in, "I'll take care of you." He pushed Tony's pants down over his hips and let them fall to the floor then patted the dining room table in a silent request for Tony to sit down.

Tony obliged and Jethro helped him get his pants off completely, tossing them aside. There was a wet spot on Tony's underwear from where he'd leaked before Jethro had freed him. Judging by the way Jethro was fingering it, it appeared to fascinate the man.

"Look at you," Jethro said quietly, his voice oozing pride.

Tony grabbed at the front of his underwear and impatiently pushed it down and out of the way, letting his cock stand proud and revealing his heavy balls.

Jethro tucked his hands behind Tony's knees and laid the man back against the table then, with Tony's assistance, Jethro helped him out of his underwear and tossed it on top of his jeans leaving Tony completely naked and all laid out for him to look at. "Oh yeah," Jethro repeated, "look at you." He traced his finger down the vein running along the underside of Tony's cock before wrapping his hand around it, opening his mouth and sucking hungrily on it.

"Oh fuck," Tony groaned, overwhelmed by the unexpectedness of the wet heat on his dick.

Jethro sank down farther, opening his throat up more and more as Tony's dick continued to fill. When he reached for Tony's balls, Tony reached for his hair, weaving his fingers in the short locks. Tony's eyes fell closed and he writhed on the table at all the attention Jethro was giving him. When Jethro's fingers slipped between his cheeks and started rubbing against his hole, Tony's fisted his fingers into the man's hair tighter and released a heavy breath.

Jethro licked and nibbled up and down Tony's shaft before tonguing his slit as he blindly found the nearby tube of lube and squirted a small amount onto his fingers before once again rubbing them against Tony's hole and finally pushing one inside. The grip Tony had on his hair was almost painful but Jethro ignored it and continued what he was doing until he could ease another finger inside his lover.

"Holy fuck, I can't even," Tony panted helplessly.

Jethro released Tony's dick with a satisfied slurp then flattened his tongue out and licked his cockhead before licking his lips, all while smiling up at the man. "You better figure out how," he replied, "because I'm just getting started."

Tony's dick strained in Jethro's hand and he groaned at the promise. His head fell back against the table and his eyes slipped closed, allowing him to block out all distractions.

Jethro undid his belt and pants and pushed them to the floor along with his underwear, kicking both off in a skillful move as he tugged his shirt over his head and dropped it onto the growing pile of clothing. Tony reached for his dick and lazily stroked himself while he listened to the sound of the lube being opened once again.

Anticipation grew when he heard the unmistakable sound of Jethro's dick sliding back and forth in his lubed up fist. Tony raised his legs up off the table, eagerly waiting for the moment their bodies would become one. Jethro guided Tony's legs to rest comfortably on his shoulders and lined himself up, spreading Tony's cheeks enough to reveal his hole and then rubbing his cockhead against it.

"Don't hold your breath," he instructed softly.

"Push it in," Tony pleaded, his eyes still closed.

"You're so impatient," Jethro teased. He wrapped his hand tightly around his slippery dick and slowly pushed into Tony's body, inch by inch, letting the excitement grow slowly. By the time he'd bottomed out, Tony's body was quivering and he was stuttering out moans and groans.

Tony breathed out swear word after swear word as he tried desperately to maintain some semblance of control. His fingers dragged across the wooden table top before he finally gave in, wrapped a hand around his dick and squeezed. He wanted to experience the blessed relief of cuming and at the same time he wanted to hold off so the sensations assaulting his body would never end and he didn't have a clue which urge was going to win out.

"Fuck me, Jethro. Please. Fuck me."

Jethro smiled in satisfaction as he drew back and pushed in again, setting a steady pace. He watched Tony for a long moment, memorizing the expression on his face and the curses he was moaning before closing his eyes and concentrating on the tight heat surrounding his dick and his balls swinging back and forth, bumping against Tony's body.

"Fuck, Jethro," Tony whimpered again.

Jethro moved Tony's hand away from his cock and replaced it with his own. He took over touching and exploring and stroking, studying every reaction Tony had to everything he was doing to him. When Tony reached for his balls and started squeezing and tugging on himself, Jethro knew he was close.

The muscles in Tony's legs tensed to the point of aching and his toes curled as Jethro's dick repeatedly rubbed against his prostate. "Harder, Jethro," he begged. "Just a little more. I'm so close. So fucking close." He moaned and whimpered pitifully, completely at Jethro's mercy and absolutely loving every second of it. Tingles started at the base of his spine and spread throughout his body and his balls began to spasm moments before he gave up the fight and exploded all over himself and his lover with a series of grunts and moans and more curses.

Jethro's breathing deepened and he lost himself in Tony's orgasm. Tony's body clenched around him, pushing him closer and closer to the edge until he couldn't hold back any longer. He stopped stroking Tony's dick and rested his hand on top of it as he drilled into the man's body while emptying himself.

When Jethro finally slowed to a stop, as sweat dripped from his forehead onto Tony's belly, Tony reached out and ran a comforting hand down Jethro's chest and belly, letting it rest just above the man's pubic bone, close to where their bodies were still connected. He studied his lover's body carefully; the silver chest hairs spattered haphazardly around two pert nipples, the solid lines of defined muscle leading down to the man's belly button and the handful of small scars that Tony didn't have a clue where they came from but hoped to find out as their relationship progressed.

"Is that what's had you so on edge all morning?" Jethro asked. "Is that what you've been waiting for?"

"That's better than anything I ever could have imagined," Tony answered, "and I can't wait to do it again but right now I'd like to sink my teeth into some of that chicken. What is it about amazing sex that always makes you so hungry?"

Jethro turned away, trying to hide his amused grin. On the surface it might've seemed Tony was always thinking about either his dick or his stomach but Jethro knew better than that. Beneath the surface there was so much more to the man he was falling in love with and he couldn't wait to spend the week exploring that and hopefully a lifetime after that.

"Well, I guess we better get some food in here then," he said as he rubbed Tony's belly.

"I love it when you smile," Tony said softly. "I love that I can make you smile. I treasure them because I know people have to earn smiles from you."

Jethro swallowed hard before responding, taking a split second to think over his words and make sure he wanted to say them before committing. "You can have everything you want and need from me, Tony. You just might have to ask sometimes because I can be a little dense, especially when it comes to intimacy." He pointed to his head and made a goofy face to accentuate the point. "Now let's get cleaned up and dig into that chicken. I'm getting hungry too."


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: **Just a little warning... only two more chapters after this one, guys. Thanks so much for coming along on this journey with me!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: ****Patience and People Skills**

"Anything yet?" Jethro asked.

"Hang on," Tony replied, carefully typing his password in so he could access his email account.

It had been almost twenty four hours since the owner of his apartment building was supposed to notify all the tenants if the place was salvageable or if it would have to be demolished but instead he'd only received an email stating the decision had been delayed. The original wait for information hadn't been easy on Tony, who still felt wholly responsible for his neighbors being homeless, and the delay had been devastating, leading to yet another night of restless sleep. As late as it was getting, it didn't look hopeful that they'd get the email that day either. More than anything, Jethro wanted some sort of good news to ease Tony's conscious and allow him a little sleep in hopes of the easy smile returning to his face.

A hand on Tony's naked back sent shivers throughout his body. He hoped his lover's touch would never stop having that effect on him. "Here it is," he said, swallowing hard as he nervously clicked on the email.

Jethro leaned over the back of the chair Tony was sitting in, letting his hand glide down Tony's back and his long fingers rest at his lover's side as he read the message with him. His grip tightened sympathetically as he processed more bad news. After an incredibly long process slowed down by bureaucratic bigwigs and a ridiculous amount of red tape, it had been determined that the building would be demolished and may or may not be rebuilt.

"And the blows just keep coming," Tony muttered quietly.

"This isn't your fault, Tony," Jethro said.

"But if I didn't live there, all my neighbors wouldn't be homeless right now," Tony said. "You can't argue with that."

Instead of fighting the man on the issue, Jethro wrapped Tony in a hug and simply held him.

"I'm sorry," Tony murmured, relaxing into the hug. "I don't mean to keep bringing this up."

"If it's bothering you, which it clearly is, then it's something we need to deal with," Jethro replied plainly.

Tony looked up at Jethro with a smile on his face that spanned from ear to ear; a stark contrast to the somewhat down mood he seemed to be in.

"What?" Jethro asked, grinning right alongside Tony. Tony's smiles had always been contagious.

"You said we," Tony explained.

"And I meant it," Jethro said. "If we're in this together then we're all in. There is no picking and choosing and only carrying the other person's light baggage."

"It's the first time I've ever really been part of a 'we'," Tony explained.

"It's a powerful partnership," Jethro commented, thinking back to the portion of his life that he'd shared with Shannon. That had been the most powerful partnership he'd ever been a part of and the more time he spent with Tony, the more it seemed their partnership was going to be just as strong.

"Hold me closer, Jethro," Tony sighed happily.

"Can't get much closer than this," Jethro murmured into Tony's ear, "but I can hold you tighter." He flexed his muscles, tightening his hold on his lover and feeling himself falling more and more in love with the man in the process. The two remained comfortably wrapped in each other's arms until Jethro's phone started ringing.

"Let your voicemail pick it up," Tony urged.

"Might be important," Jethro pointed out.

"Not as important as us spending time together," Tony pointed out.

Unable to argue with Tony's reasoning, Jethro rewrapped his lover in the embrace and relaxed, focusing on Tony and not letting his ringing phone distract him.

Neither man was concerned with the interruption until the phone started ringing again immediately. Tony tensed and stared at the antiquated device, worried about what kind of bad news someone might be calling to deliver and he changed his mind about sharing his lover with whoever was on the other end of the phone.

"I take back what I said a minute ago," Tony said, "you should get that."

Jethro noticed Tony's change in demeanor immediately and felt his body tense when the phone started ringing the second time. "What's wrong?"

"Kaiser escaped," Tony replied, wiggling from Jethro's embrace.

"Nah," Jethro said, dismissing the notion as he made a move for his phone. His gut would have told him if Kaiser was on the loose again. He shot Tony a confident, reassuring look as he flipped his phone open and brought it to his ear. "What do you want, Tobias?" he asked flatly.

_"You used to be excited to hear from me,"_ Fornell replied.

"Yeah, used to."

_"I'm gonna stop calling you," _Fornell threatened playfully.

Jethro smiled and slid down onto the couch next to the end table where his phone had been. He patted the seat next to him and motioned with his head, trying to get Tony to stop pacing and sit with him.

Tony stopped pacing but instead of sitting, he stood in front of Jethro, anxiously staring at him.

"What's up, Tobias?" Jethro asked, relaxing into the couch, showing Tony that everything was okay.

_"Thought you might want an update on the case,"_ Fornell replied, _"but I can call back later if you're busy."_

"Kaiser still in custody?" Jethro asked, prompting Tony to all but throw himself down on the couch and put his ear next to Jethro's on the other side of the phone in hopes of hearing the answer.

_"Locked up tight," _Fornell answered.

Tony breathed an audible sigh of relief and flopped against the back of the couch, finally letting himself relax again.

_"Kaiser's still playing games though. He's trying to trade information for perks and privileges; certain kinds of foods, certain amenities in his cell, a certain job, a certain cell in a specific wing of the building, a certain amount of outdoor time. The list goes on and on."_

"He's trying to remain in control," Jethro said.

_"Uh-huh. We gave in to him at first, when it was small things but we're about to pull the plug. I'm sure that'll make him happy."_

"I'm sure he's got something else up his sleeve."

_"Can't wait to find out what that might be," _Fornell replied sarcastically.

One look at Tony and the seriousness returned to Jethro's face. It bothered him how paranoid Kaiser had made his lover and that no matter what he did, he couldn't make Tony feel safe. "Kaiser's secure, right, Tobias? There's no chance of him getting out."

_"He's locked up tight, Jethro," _Tobias confirmed. _"There's no way he's going anywhere. I promise."_

"Alright," Jethro said, still eyeballing Tony. "Thanks for the update."

_"No problem. You guys call if you need anything."_

"Will do." Jethro flipped his phone closed and dropped it onto the coffee table, his eyes still fixed on Tony. "He's still in jail."

"I heard," Tony replied dismissively. "Can we please just watch one of the movies we rented? I'm sorry. I don't wanna talk about this anymore. I need a break. I gotta clear my head of Kaiser and my apartment building and everything."

"Alright," Jethro agreed, determined to be patient with Tony for as long as he needed to be, "but only if you make some of that caramel corn you're always making on Christmas Eve."

A genuine smile crossed Tony's face. "That's my mom's recipe."

"Moms have the best recipes."

"They do," Tony agreed. "You put the movie in and I'll get the popcorn going."

"Deal."

* * *

Nearly four hours of the three different movies, one of which was deemed a total waste of time and quickly replaced by another, and an evening spent snacking on popcorn, Chinese takeout and drinking beer, Kaiser was the last thing on either Jethro or Tony's minds.

Tony had relaxed enough he was laughing and joking once again and his normal playful, frisky behavior had returned. Jethro was enjoying the normalcy and found he actually liked the downtime, sitting around with his feet propped up, not paying as much attention to the TV as he was to poking, tickling and teasing Tony. He'd never get enough of the smiles and laughter and was silently grateful for their week of nakedness which allowed him to see the physical reaction his lover's body had to his touch.

After their final movie ended, Jethro reached for Tony's thigh and dropped his head down onto Tony's shoulder, looking up at the man with his expressive, blue eyes. "You ready for bed?"

"I think I'll stay up a little while longer," Tony said.

"It's 2:00am, Tony," Jethro pointed out. "What's going on with you?" He kept his voice calm and curious, rather than accusatory.

"What're you talking about? Nothing's going on with me." Guilt over keeping secrets from his lover made it more difficult for Tony to keep the defensiveness out of his voice.

"Stop answering my questions with questions and talk to me," Jethro said firmly, his patience slipping slightly. His eyes stayed locked on Tony's and when the man continued to refuse to open up, Jethro knew if he didn't walk away they were going to end up getting into a fight and that was the last thing he wanted. "Screw bed. I need coffee," he muttered.

Tony released the breath he'd been holding as he watched Jethro's naked ass disappear into the kitchen. He hated himself for his weakness and even more than that, he hated that he was having such a hard time opening up to Jethro about it. Why couldn't he be as strong as his lover? Why did he let things get under his skin instead of letting them roll off his back like Jethro? He mentally berated himself, slouching down angrily in the chair and a half that he'd been sharing with Jethro. Now the man was going to be grumpy and the whole night would be shot, all because he couldn't open up. At least it was already 2:00. There wasn't much night left.

Jethro returned with two cups of coffee in one hand. He patted Tony's leg, urging him to move back over to own side so he could rejoin him and squeezed in next to him when Tony obliged.

"Tony, I care about you so much," Jethro said, handing the man the coffee cup that had been filled with sugar and hazelnut creamer, "and I wanna help you through the difficult times but if you don't let me in, I can't do that."

Tony was surprised at the man's calm demeanor. He'd been anticipating raised voices and demands to open up to him but Jethro was just as calm as ever. "I wanna let you in. I'm trying. I just suck at it. I can't make the words come out."

Jethro leaned against Tony, enjoying the closeness and the baby steps of progress they were making. "You know he's in jail, right?" he asked gently.

"He was once before too," Tony stated flatly.

"I won't let him hurt you, Tony," Jethro replied with a fierce possession that almost made Tony believe him. When he got no response from Tony, Jethro reached out and brushed his hand across Tony's, sliding his fingers between his lover's. "Talk to me, please."

"I just can't help but think Kaiser's gonna escape again," Tony admitted reluctantly. "I wanna stop the thoughts but they keep coming."

"Especially at the most inconvenient times," Jethro guessed, "like when you're alone, in the dark, in the quiet."

"That's when my thoughts are the loudest," Tony confirmed quietly. "I've never hated bedtime so much."

"Mine too," Jethro said, "but we don't have to live in fear. _You _don't have to live in fear, Tony. You're stronger and smarter than Kaiser'll ever be and I'm right here with you. We're safe."

"I wanna believe you," Tony breathed. "I do believe you. I know you'll protect me. I know I can protect myself. I don't know how he got in my head and messed me up so much." Tony shook his head to ward off the threatening tears and groaned in shame at the confession.

"You'll get there," Jethro said patiently. He rested his hand on Tony's thigh, prompting Tony to swing one leg over onto his lap in a desperate attempt to be closer. Jethro rubbed his hand back and forth across Tony's inner thigh from his knee almost all the way up to his groin, lovingly massaging and soothing; slowly, carefully, _deliberately _rousing his lover, just as he'd been doing all evening.

"You're scared too?" Tony asked. The idea of that really surprised him. Jethro had seemed perfectly fine throughout most of the mess with Kaiser.

"I'm cautious," Jethro answered, "and I'd be lying if I said Braydon Kaiser didn't give me pause in the quiet, dark of the night but I know he's in jail and you're here and you've got my six and I was trained by the baddest branch of the military on this planet. I used that training to train you. We're not easy to kill, Tony."

Tony beamed at the confidence Jethro had in him and let the man's words reassure him. They were tough and they were smart and they hadn't met a criminal yet who'd managed to get the best of them. "Thanks, Jethro."

"Mm-hmm."

Jethro's grip tightened and his touches grew more and more firm. Tony relaxed against the back of the chair, closing his eyes and letting the touches both calm and excite him. When his dick started to fill, he reached for Jethro's hand and moved it onto his cock, thankful that their week of nakedness was still in full swing and there were no clothes to get in their way.

"Kiss me, Jethro, please. Kiss my dick." Tony's voice was low and breathy, revealing his excitement and adding to Jethro's. He jutted his hips out, pushing his dick closer to Jethro's mouth in anticipation of what he hoped was coming.

"Plop your butt on the arm of the chair," Jethro urged gently. The chair and a half was big but so were they. They'd have to get creative to make it work.

Tony obeyed and spread his legs, his dick already straining towards his lover. Jethro stroked him a handful of times before licking the bead of precum that had oozed out off of his tip and finally wrapping his lips around Tony and sucking as he took more and more of him down his throat.

The muscles of Tony's abdomen quivered along with his breathing as he watched his lover suck hard on him. The welcoming heat of Jethro's mouth was like nothing Tony had ever experienced before and was a sensation he didn't want to ever end. "Fuck, Jethro," he groaned, resting his hand against the man's cheek.

Jethro let Tony's dick rub against the inside of his cheek where the man's hand was, smiling at the involuntary subtle hip thrust it caused. He let Tony slide effortlessly down his throat several more times before pulling off with a long, tight slurp; his big, blue eyes peering up at Tony as he did so. "Turn around," he said. "Lean over the arm of the chair."

Tony turned without question, kneeling in the chair and draped his upper body over the arm of it with his ass in Jethro's face and his hands resting on the arm rest, unsure if he was prepared for what was getting ready to happen.

Jethro grabbed for Tony's swinging dick from underneath him while the man was still getting into position and wrapped his lips around it, sucking hungrily as soon as he had it in his mouth.

Tony released a heavy, breathy sigh, pushing against his groin at the base of his cock as Jethro took him deeper and deeper down his throat.

"Fuck, Jethro," Tony panted. "I'm never gonna get enough of this. Your mouth, your fingers, your dick inside me. I want it all and I want it all the time."

Jethro spread Tony's butt cheeks and fingered his hole with a wet and sloppy lubed up finger, watching it twitch in anticipation. He tugged on Tony's cock and admired his balls before licking from the tip of Tony's cock, up the underside of his shaft, over his balls and across his ass hole.

Tony's fingers dug into the arm of the chair and his entire body shuddered as he was assaulted with overwhelming sensations everywhere he could imagine.

"Holy fuck!" he groaned in disbelief. He'd never felt anything quite like that before. "Do that again," he begged.

Jethro nuzzled Tony's ball sack and nipped at the underside of his dick before wrapping his lips around the tip of Tony's cock, pushing his tongue into the slit, hollowing out his cheeks and sucking at the precum that was oozing out in streams.

Tony's eyes rolled back in his head at the sheer intensity and he widened his stance as much as he could, allowing Jethro free reign over his body.

The licking and kissing and nipping continued, interspersed with mouthing and suckling until Tony was a quivering mess of need, unable to handle much more without completely losing it and Jethro was leaking precum uncontrollably.

"I think it's time," Jethro breathed, fingering Tony's wet, lubed up hole with one hand and stroking himself with the other.

"I think you're right," Tony replied.

"Roll over onto your back," Jethro said, standing from the chair and patting Tony's butt, "slide down, face me."

Tony quickly obeyed, positioning himself in the middle of the chair with his legs resting on the floor on either side of Jethro. Jethro dropped a decorative pillow onto the floor in front of the chair and kneeled in front of it then helped Tony lift his legs up and rest them over his shoulders.

"Comfy?" Jethro asked.

"Not till your dick's in my ass," Tony replied, squeezing his balls and letting his dick rub against his forearm.

Jethro moved Tony's hand out of the way then lined himself up and let his cock ease into Tony's body. He liked to watch Tony's dick pulse and strain with excitement as he was entered. The upward angle of penetration allowed endless stimulation on Tony's prostate and kept Tony's cock so excited it stood proudly, pointing out from between his legs. Jethro couldn't help but wrap his hand around it and squeeze as he stroked it.

"I love your cock," Tony moaned in pure bliss, his eyes closed as he wrapped himself up in the moment. "Feels so good inside me."

Jethro released Tony's cock and roughly pet over his dick and balls as he watched himself disappear into Tony's body repeatedly. After so much build up, his breath was already shaky and he found himself already wanting to cum. "Shit, Tony," he muttered. "If you only knew what you did to me; what effect you had on me." His cock pulsed and oozed inside Tony's body as he tried desperately to reel himself back in.

Tony rested his hand on top of Jethro's, urging the man to continue squeezing and petting, rubbing and tugging. After being so thoroughly worked over, he was already close and felt torn between wanting to feel the magic that came at the end of an especially erotic lovemaking session and wanting to hold on to that anticipatory feeling for as long as he possibly could.

Jethro leaned in closer and pressed his lips to Tony's, initiating a brutal, possessive kiss which left Tony giving as good as he got. Before raising back up again, Jethro nipped at one of Tony's nipples causing the man to cry out and arch his back up off the chair.

It was quickly becoming clear that there was no going back or holding off any longer. Jethro raised up above Tony, grabbed onto his cock and started stroking furiously as he quickened his own pace. His hips stuttered and jerked as Tony's upper body arched up off the chair. Tony closed his eyes and he immediately saw stars. He wrapped his hand around Jethro's, helping the man finish him off and reveled in the sounds and feel of Jethro's orgasm moments later.

After they'd both had a chance to finish up, Jethro lowered Tony's legs to the ottoman behind him, pushed all the way inside Tony's body and held himself firmly in place as he began kissing his lover once again, the urgency and desperation replaced by calm and peacefulness.

As his harsh breathing evened out, Tony nipped at Jethro's lips and kissed him back just as lazily, his strong hands running up and down the length of Jethro's spine, helping soothe the man as their heart rates evened out.

"Do you think we can go to bed now?" Jethro hummed into Tony's ear before nipping at his earlobe.

Tony smiled, squirming at the ticklish sensations. "Yeah," he answered, "we can go to bed now."

"Thank you," Jethro replied softly. "I'm tired."

"Hey, Jethro?" Tony said, stopping the man before he pulled out and got up. "Thank you. I know patience and people skills aren't your strong suit but you've really been amazing and I couldn't do this without you."

Jethro rested his hand against Tony's cheek and brushed his thumb across it as he smiled at the man. "I'd do anything for you, Tony."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four: Heads Up **

Tony was surprised by his ability to relax after he'd opened up and finally had a much needed conversation with Jethro about the things that had been bothering him. The fact that the conversation had been followed by a slow, reassuring fuck was icing on the cake. It had been over a week of uninterrupted, peaceful sleep that left him waking in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Once he'd learned to let himself relax and trust Jethro as well as trust himself, the carefree life he'd once lived, returned bringing with it joy and peace.

The weeklong staycation spent naked together, indulging in fun and intimacy had ended but had done wonders for helping both of them feel normal again. Leaving the carefree days behind to return to a job that was anything but carefree had been difficult at first but both were ready and had settled into their old roles again quickly.

They were just getting back from an interview with a carjacking victim when Jethro got a call from Fornell wondering where he was. When he and Tony stepped off the elevator into the bullpen and found Fornell brazenly sitting at Jethro's desk, the group was reunited. Even Ducky and Jimmy had come up from autopsy and Abby from her lab, all of them looking uneasy over the news the FBI agent may have to share with them.

"What're you guys doing up here?" Jethro asked patiently as he made eye contact with each member of his team.

"Nothing," Abby answered for all of them, adding an innocent shrug and a look of unease on her face that made it impossible for Jethro to send any of them away.

"Alright," he conceded before turning to his friend who was standing from his chair and moving out from behind his desk. "What's up, Tobias?"

"I'm on my way to the courthouse," Fornell answered. "Kaiser's agreed to plead guilty _if _we promise him the death penalty."

"I think you got that backwards," Tony replied offhandedly.

"Nope," Fornell said, "you heard me right. He wants the death penalty. He was most likely going to get it anyways but we never like giving criminals what they want. Of course, it could also be a ploy, reverse psychology or something. Maybe Kaiser doesn't think we'll give him what he wants and this is his way of staying alive."

"He's maintaining control," Jethro said. "It might not get him what he wants in the end but it's working for now. He's got us guessing what his next move might be and caving to his every wish while he's living a life of luxury; behind bars but luxurious nonetheless."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried," Fornell admitted.

"What time is he being arraigned?" Jethro asked.

"Ten o'clock," Fornell answered, glancing at his watch. "I better get going. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Call me and let me know how it goes," Jethro said.

The group watched as Fornell headed for the elevator. Abby sat down on the corner of Jethro's desk and everyone stared at each other, unsure of what to say.

"Anything on the BOLO for our carjacked Ferrari?" Jethro asked, refocusing his team's attention on their current case.

"Nothing yet," Tim answered. "It's probably in the hands of several different people by now. I'm betting they stripped it down and sold it in parts."

"Is this ever gonna be over?" Abby asked.

"Probably not," Tony answered. "We'll never get all those parts back. Our general would be better off just getting a new car."

"I think she meant this thing with Kaiser, Tony," Jimmy pointed out.

"I know what she meant," Tony replied.

"It's almost over," Jethro said reassuringly. "Let's just stay focused on what we need to do." Just when he thought he couldn't hate Kaiser any more, he looked around the bullpen at his defeated team, all of them knowing full well that Kaiser was in jail but still worrying that he might be able to reach them somehow. While they were living life looking over their shoulders, wondering and worrying, Kaiser was having all his wishes granted and everything he wanted was being brought to him on a silver platter—at least that's what it felt like. Kaiser may have been winning at the moment but Jethro didn't intend on letting it go on for much longer.

* * *

Tony unwrapped the double cheeseburger and folded the wrapper back before handing it to Jethro who was driving. He grabbed the large carton of French fries and slipped it into the cup holder in the Dodge Charger for them to share before grabbing the second double cheeseburger for himself and unwrapping it. While Tim and Ellie remained at headquarters making phone calls and attempting to track down Ferrari parts that way, Jethro and Tony were visiting high end auto body shops and talking to people face to face, especially the handful of contacts they knew in the business.

"This is so futile," Tony commented around a mouthful of cheeseburger.

"Too bad it's the general's car," Jethro said. If it was anyone else's they could insist they come to terms with the car being gone but the general hadn't yet given up hope and it was a little harder to demand he see reason. Still, it kept the group busy with a fairly straightforward case that didn't involve anything too tragic, unless you were the general.

"What're we gonna do about Kaiser and the team?" Tony asked, switching gears.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. We can't let this guy keep terrorizing us. I can't stand seeing Abby so scared."

"There's not much we can do," Jethro pointed out. "Hopefully once he's sentenced everybody'll calm down and we can put this whole thing behind us. Unless you have any ideas?"

"Shoulda killed him when we had the chance," Tony muttered, even though he really didn't mean it. He'd always been fair and just as a cop and he didn't intend on changing that, no matter how much easier it might make his life. "We signed up for this, you know? It's one thing for us to have to look over our shoulders but Abs and Ducky and Jimmy? They signed up to work in a lab. Not have madmen trying to blow them up. They weren't trained for that; they weren't trained to deal with that. It's not fair. Life's not fair though, I suppose, which is what pays our rent every month."

"Still sucks though," Jethro replied, "especially when it affects the people we love."

"We'll keep 'em safe, right?"

"Oh yeah," Jethro said confidently.

He pulled into the parking lot of the next car dealer on their list and parked towards the back of the lot before grabbing a couple fries and eating them. There was no reason they couldn't finish up their lunch before going in and questioning the owner.

"What do you have planned for tonight?" Jethro asked. That was another perk to working their current case, they got off at a normal time and had the evenings to themselves.

"I don't know," Tony replied, a gleam in his eye. "I was thinking I might like to have your dick in my mouth for part of the evening; figured you could take things from there."

A surge of electricity went straight to Jethro's groin at the mental images flooding his head. He reached down and touched himself out of instinct, wanting to slow the sudden onslaught of passionate feelings arising but knowing it was hopeless. "Why wait till tonight?" he asked in a low, breathy tone, partially wondering what Tony had done to him. A month ago he never even would've considered being intimate on the job but one comment from Tony had him reaching for his dick.

Tony's eyes found his lover's lap and he smiled at the growing fullness in the man's pants. "Good question," he said, reaching over and rubbing his hand over the newly forming bulge. "There was no way that cheeseburger was gonna fill me up anyways."

Jethro's breathing deepened even more as he slid the zipper on his pants down. Tony reached inside and pulled the man's cock free, running his hand over Jethro's length while he admired the fullness.

"I could look at you forever," he murmured. He tucked his fingers into the opening in the front of his lover's pants once again and freed his balls, surprisingly heavy despite all the times Tony had helped him empty them. He dipped his head down into Jethro's lap and reverently kissed the leaking tip of his dick then licked the salty precum from his lips before nipping at the underside of his shaft and tonguing his balls.

"Oh yeah," Jethro hummed encouragingly, "right there. Just like that, Tony. You know what I like."

Tony licked up the underside of Jethro's shaft, back to the tip then licked and mouthed the top of his dick, moaning in pure bliss as if he were feasting on the most expensive five course meal money could buy.

"What should I do next?" Tony asked seductively.

"Put it in your mouth," Jethro answered, reaching for himself and guiding his cock to Tony's mouth. "Suck on it."

Tony wrapped his lips around the crown of Jethro's cock and gave a few light suckles, just enough to tease the man before taking more of his lover's cock in his mouth, swallowing around him as Jethro inched down his throat.

"Fuck, Tony, that feels so good." Jethro rested his hand against the back of Tony's head and toyed with the hair at the nape f his neck, urging him on as he continued the delicious assault on his body.

Tony pulled off and licked his saliva from Jethro's shaft before once again enveloping it in his mouth and setting a steady pace as he bobbed up and down on it. The move had Jethro fisting small wads of Tony's hair between his fingers and rocking his hips up towards Tony. It wasn't until Tony slipped a finger behind Jethro's ball sack and pressed against the sensitive area of skin that Jethro completely lost it, his entire body convulsing in shivers as he spurted streams of thick, creamy white into Tony's mouth and down his throat while the man continued to bob up and down on him, not missing a beat.

Once Jethro had finished, Tony pulled off of him with a satisfied pop and licked his shaft and balls clean, glancing up at him with big green eyes to find the man watching his every move. He smiled around Jethro's overly sensitive dick, and ran across its length with his tongue one more time.

"I could go for that kind of dessert after every meal," Tony said when he'd finally finished up as he carefully tucked Jethro's balls and deflating dick back into his underwear.

Jethro wrapped his fingers around the side of Tony's head and tugged him into a passionate kiss, tasting himself on his lover. He pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against Tony's. "I can taste myself on you," he said before going in for another kiss and another taste.

Tony let his lover explore his mouth thoroughly and freely and sighed dreamily when the man finally pulled away. "Too bad we can't go home now," he said softly. "I bet it wouldn't take me long to get you hard again."

"I bet you're right," Jethro replied against Tony's lips before kissing him one last time and pulling back again.

Tony licked his lips, savoring the taste of his lover. He swallowed hard as they both got out of the car and headed for the repair shop.

Jethro glanced over at Tony, making sure his erection wasn't too obvious. The possessive side of him couldn't stand the thought of anyone else getting to admire what was his and only his.

"He'll still be waiting for you later," Tony said when he noticed what Jethro was looking at. He reached down and squeezed himself, clearly revealing the outline of his dick through his dress pants.

Jethro growled possessively, growing more and more excited about quitting time. Tony didn't miss the gleam in the man's eyes before he steeled his expression and refocused on their case and the task at hand.

After another dead end questioning the owner of the auto body shop, Jethro and Tony were once again in the car, heading back towards headquarters while talking about their evening when Jethro's phone rang.

"It's Fornell," Jethro said after squinting at his caller ID. "Took him long enough."

"Hopefully that doesn't mean more bad news," Tony commented as Jethro put his phone on speaker.

"What's up, Tobias?" Jethro asked.

_"Where are you?" _

"West side of town, headed back towards the Navy Yard."

_"Meet me at your diner," _Fornell said.

"Give me ten minutes," Jethro replied before snapping his phone closed.

"This is either gonna be really good or really bad," Tony guessed. "At least we get some coffee out of the deal."

It only took seven minutes for Jethro to navigate through traffic and pull up in front his favorite diner. Fornell's big black FBI suburban stuck out like a sore thumb in the parking lot with only one other lonely car. The lunch time rush had passed and dinner guests wouldn't start arriving for another hour.

Jethro and Tony made their way inside and settled into the bench seat across from Fornell in the booth he had chosen. After warm greetings from Elaine, full coffee cups and a piece of pie that Tony couldn't resist ordering the group was left on their own.

"You're a bottomless pit today," Jethro commented.

Tony's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed slightly at memories of his other after lunch snack which only made Jethro smile bigger but the man turned towards Fornell, letting Tony off the hook.

"What went wrong?" Jethro asked before sipping at his coffee.

"I'm surprised you don't already know," Fornell snarked. "You know how Kaiser was going to plead guilty in exchange for the death penalty?"

"He didn't," Tony guessed.

"He didn't," Fornell confirmed. "He pleaded not guilty and insisted it wasn't his signature on the prosecutor's paperwork."

"Shit," Jethro grumbled. "What'd the judge say?"

"The judge wasn't happy at all but I think he saw through Kaiser's game. He told Kaiser, 'you don't wanna waste this court's time, son'," Fornell said, doing his best impression of the judge.

"Another control tactic?" Tony asked.

"Or he didn't want the death penalty after all," Jethro replied. "We called his bluff and he needed a way out of it, figures this is his best bet."

"There's plenty of evidence for the prosecutor to put together a solid case," Fornell said, "it's just not going to be over as quickly as we'd hoped."

"What else?" Jethro asked. At Fornell's confused look he continued, "I know you didn't call me over here to tell me Kaiser changed his plea. You coulda told me that on the phone. Something else happened in court today."

"I was in the courtroom today, Jethro, watching Braydon Kaiser like a hawk and I just can't shake this feeling that there's something more going on. He's got something else up his sleeve," the FBI agent said confidently, "one more move. I'm sure of it."

"He already back in prison?" Jethro asked, stealing a bite of Tony's apple pie.

"Yeah. He's under heavy guard. He's not going anywhere if I have anything to say about it."

"Bail?" Tony asked.

"Not an option," Fornell answered with a shake of his head.

"All we can do is stay alert," Jethro said, trying to hide how bothered he was by the whole situation. "Keep an eye on Kaiser, talk to everyone he's talking to, be aware of what he's doing. I'm not gonna let this guy continue to have my people living in fear. He's not gonna steal one more day from us."

"I just wanted to give you a heads up," Fornell said.

"'preciate it," Jethro replied.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five: Odd Talents**

Jethro carefully navigated the Dodge Charger down his street, weaving in and out of large pick-up trucks, construction vans and delivery vehicles. He and Tony had decided to swing by and check on the progress of his house since they were close by after their meeting with Fornell at the diner and it appeared a lot of progress was being made.

It was refreshing to see the pile of rubble that had once been his home gone and the frame of a new house in its place. It had taken a lot of time and thought and a handful of contractors presenting different ideas and designs for Jethro to figure out how he wanted his house rebuilt. He'd considered not rebuilding at all; considered rebuilding it exactly the same way it had been before Kaiser had blown it up, although both he and Tony decided they found that a little creepy and had finally settled on a blueprint that was similar in style to what he'd lost but with a few changes and updates that would create a modernized version of the old timey flare Jethro loved in a layout that would have him feeling right at home.

It would be months before the house was ready but Jethro didn't mind that either. He was having fun playing house with Tony and despite the noncommittal attitude they'd both had when they'd decided to move in together, both he and Tony were all in when it came to their relationship and it scared both of them. Despite his fear, Jethro wasn't in a rush to move out of the rental house he was sharing with Tony and wasn't quite ready to invite the man to move in with him, out of fear of putting too much pressure on their budding relationship. He hoped he might be by the time his house was move in ready.

"They're getting this up fast," Tony said, even though they really weren't. It had been several weeks since the bomb had destroyed it and there was only a frame to show for progress. It felt fast to Tony, though. It felt like it was only a matter of days before Jethro would be moving out of the rental house and back into his home. "I guess I need to start figuring out where I wanna live."

"There's no rush, Tony," Jethro said. If Tony found somewhere else to live, he might be less likely to want to move in with him. "It'll be months before this place is done."

"Yeah," Tony said, "but I don't even know if I wanna live in a condo or apartment or buy a house or maybe I'll just keep renting the place we're in now. I've been putting it off for too long. I need to make a decision 'cause you're gonna be gone back to your home before I know it and I don't wanna be left behind."

"I'm not gonna disappear in the night, Tony," Jethro said. He was surprised to find Tony was struggling with some of the same insecurities he was.

"I know," Tony admitted, "but I'm having so much fun sharing everything with you. It's gonna suck when you move back here."

"Yeah, but who knows where our relationship will be in a couple months," Jethro replied. "Maybe you'll be ready to move back with me." It wasn't a full commitment and didn't require immediate action from either of them but it was a viable option that would calm their fears and help them get through all the changes that were headed their way.

"You mean like, move in with you?" Tony clarified.

Jethro shrugged and nodded. "A lot can happen in a couple months."

Both men relaxed and Tony found himself reaching for Jethro's hand which the man readily accepted. Just knowing Jethro was open to making their situation permanent helped ease his fears.

Jethro squeezed Tony's hand in his and smiled at him before looking over his shoulder and pulling back out onto the street so they could head back to the Navy Yard and finish out their work day before finally going home, together.

* * *

After a quick shower to wash off the work day and slipping into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a hoodie, Tony hurried down the stairs and into the living room where Jethro was sitting with a cup of coffee in one hand and the newspaper spread out across his lap.

"Nice shower?" Jethro asked, putting the paper aside.

"Mm-hmm," Tony hummed, taking Jethro's coffee cup and setting it aside.

"What're you—"

Before Jethro could ask his question, Tony sat down in his lap and made himself comfortable then handed the man his coffee cup again.

"You okay?" Jethro asked.

"I am now," Tony answered happily. "Hold me tighter."

Jethro smiled and obliged.

"What do you think Kaiser has up his sleeve?" Tony asked, trying not to reveal how worried he was.

"Hmm?"

"Come on. He's been playing us since day one. This is just another move in the sadistic chess game he's playing."

"Yeah," Jethro agreed. "I don't know what game he's playing now but I don't like it."

"I don't either," Tony said. He cuddled up against Jethro's broad chest, earning himself a kiss on the temple.

Jethro put his cup aside and rested a hand on Tony's thigh, enjoying the closeness. "Let's talk about something else," he murmured in Tony's ear.

"Like?" Tony asked with a smile.

"Like that blow job you gave me earlier," Jethro replied. "I think it's time for me to return the favor."

"I like the sound of that."

"What would you like me to do to you?"

Tony wiggled his ass in his lover's lap, rubbing himself against the other man's body. "I'd like to feel you inside me."

"Mmm," Jethro hummed, "keep wiggling around like that and you're definitely gonna be feeling something really quick."

Tony straddled Jethro, framed his face and pressed his lips to Jethro's.

Jethro let Tony have control, smiling against his lover's lips when the kiss ended. "This is nice," he hummed before kissing Tony again.

"I can tell you're really enjoying yourself," Tony said with a grin as he rubbed against his lover's erection.

"You, in my lap. What's not to enjoy?"

Jethro's tongue slipped out of his mouth and he ran it across Tony's lips until Tony opened his mouth then he lazily slippedit into Tony's mouth. The kissing continued as Tony continued grinding against his groin.

"Are you hard?" Jethro asked breathily, squeezing Tony's crotch.

"Oh yeah," Tony answered proudly, glancing down at his lap as Jethro squeezed him. He reached into the opening in the front of his sweatpants and freed his dick then unbuttoned and unzipped Jethro's jeans and folded the flaps back, revealing his lover's dick.

Jethro wrapped his hand around his cock and rubbed his cock head against Tony's, the sensitivity making him moan and Tony twitch.

"You make me feel so good," Tony groaned, jutting his hips out.

"Take your pants off and I'll make you feel even better."

Tony stood and offered his hand to his lover. When Jethro accepted, he led the way upstairs and slipped his pants and shirt off. While Tony got himself situated on the bed, Jethro removed his own clothes before climbing into bed with Tony.

"Hey, Tony," he said before nibbling at the man's jaw line. "I know you said you'd like to feel me inside you but what if we try something different this time?"

"You have my attention," Tony said. "I'm intrigued. What did you have in mind?"

"You," Jethro answered with a hint of trepidation, "inside me," he added, even quieter.

Tony's dick pulsed in excitement as he stared up at his lover. Of all the things going through his head, him topping the man who'd been dominant throughout their entire professional and personal relationship didn't even make the list of top one hundred possibilities of what Jethro might have in mind.

"I've been thinking about it for a while," Jethro admitted. "This isn't an impulsive request that I'm gonna regret later."

Tony reached out and brushed his hand across the man's cheek, his fingertips grazing across his five o'clock shadow as a serious expression graced his face. "If you're sure, it'd be my honor and for what it's worth I don't think you'll regret it."

"Because you're such a good lay?" Jethro asked, trying to deflect the seriousness with a little humor.

"No," Tony answered, not letting his lover deflect, "because it's an experience like nothing you've ever experienced before and I can guarantee you that."

Jethro's eyes met Tony's and the nervous uncertainty faded along with the jokes. "Make love to me, Tony," he said with a quiet determination and confidence that Tony had been looking for.

"It would be my pleasure," Tony replied with a smile, "and for what it's worth, I am a good lay, a _really _good lay."

Jethro smiled, thankful for the humor and thankful for Tony not letting him hide behind it just because it was easier. One of the things he respected most about Tony was the fact that the man had the balls to stand up to him when necessary. He needed someone with that kind of strength.

"Do you trust me?" Tony asked.

"You know I do," Jethro answered.

Tony smiled reassuringly up at his lover. "Then just relax."

Jethro took a deep breath and released it along with his insecurities. He let Tony roll them over so he was on his back in the middle of the bed and didn't fight the man when he lifted his legs and rested them on his own shoulders. Tony ran his hands across Jethro's abdomen while he licked the man's cock as it laid proudly against his belly. He nuzzled his lover's balls with his nose then continued exploring with his tongue, slowly making his way to Jethro's ass.

"Relax," he reminded the man softly. He stroked Jethro's cock until he felt the man's body relax once again then licked across his ass hole.

Licks, kisses and nips all over Jethro's cock, balls, the incredibly sensitive area behind his balls and his opening kept the man guessing while turning him on to the point of a steady stream of precum leaking out of him.

Tony skillfully opened his lover up, keeping Jethro's attention focused on the pleasurable sensations rather than what might've been the awkwardness of a new situation. He lubed himself up as he finished preparing Jethro then lowered his lover's feet back onto the bed and sat up between his legs.

"Little trick I learned," Tony said, flopping down next to Jethro, "climb up."

"Is this your way of gettin' out of doing all the work?" Jethro asked lightly.

"You'll thank me in a minute," Tony replied, waiting for Jethro to get situated before reaching between their bodies, wrapping his hand around his cock and rubbing it against Jethro's hole. "Relax," he reminded his lover when he felt him tense again. "Lay against me. Trust me, Jethro."

"I do trust you," Jethro repeated, lowering himself down onto Tony's body. He tried not to think too hard about what was happening and focused on how much he really wanted to give himself over completely to Tony rather than the fear of the unknown.

Tony carefully eased the tip of his dick in, breathing heavy at the tight heat. Just the fact that it was Jethro's ass was overwhelming in itself but he maintained his composure, closing his eyes to take a little bit of the edge off.

"Kiss me," Tony said, focusing on controlling his breathing as he released his hold on his dick.

Jethro gave Tony a peck on the lips and then another one that turned more passionate. As the kissing continued, he unknowingly eased himself farther and farther back onto Tony's cock until Tony was all the way seated inside him. When he realized what had happened, he pulled back from the kiss and smiled down at his lover.

"Cool trick, huh?" Tony asked. "Makes your first time bottoming a lot more enjoyable. Now ride me or if you want, we can roll over and I'll make love to you."

Jethro tucked his face into the crook of Tony's shoulder, hiding his expression as he got the hang of moving up and down on Tony's cock. Tony gently rocked in tandem with his lover but let Jethro maintain most of the control, knowing he'd get his turn. When Tony angled his hips and Jethro's rocking resulted in his prostate being grazed with each stroke, his entire body shuddered in excitement.

"Oh yeah," Tony encouraged, "you found your sweet spot."

Jethro continued to play for a short time longer, using Tony's body to explore his own and reveling in the new sensations before working with Tony to get themselves flipped over and begging Tony to fuck him.

"Keep rubbing that spot," Jethro begged, surprised that trying something he wasn't even sure if he would enjoy had reduced him to a quivering, begging mess.

Tony sat up above Jethro, sank his hips low and thrust in at an upward angle that he knew would amp up Jethro's excitement. The sight of the man's dick throbbing and pulsing as it stood up off of his belly and the cries of pleasure and demands to be fucked coming out of his lover's mouth were confirmation that what he was doing was working.

He wrapped his hand around Jethro's cock and started stroking and massaging the crown and his cockhead with his thumb as he did so. The move had Jethro grunting and squirming and thrusting up into Tony's fist until his entire body stiffened moments before his body experienced the most explosive orgasm of his life. He closed his eyes against the assault and the blackness threatened to pull him under but he refused to let the memory of his first time be stolen from him.

The sights and sounds and way Jethro's body had tightened significantly around Tony's dick had him cuming quickly after Jethro had, grunting out his release as he jabbed into the man, emptying himself completely. He slowed his thrusts but continued the subtle movements until his dick started to soften. Jethro rested his hand against Tony's cheek and turned the man's head to face him. The passionate kissing started once again and continued until Tony had softened enough he slipped out of his lover's body.

"Your first time," Tony said. "How was it?"

"Better than I'd imagined," Jethro answered with a genuine, full smile.

"So there's a chance I might get to do that again?"

"You'll definitely be doing that again."

"Okay, but just so you know, you don't get to bottom all the time."

"I think we spend enough time in the bedroom to take turns," Jethro said.

Tony gave a half of a sly shrug and smile. "We could always spend more time in here."

"We might have to quit our jobs to make that happen."

* * *

Fornell grabbed the bag of takeout he'd just picked up from the passenger seat of his car and headed up the walkway to the front door of Jethro and Tony's rental home. He reached for the door handle but quickly thought better of it and rang the doorbell instead.

Tony answered, shirtless, but thankfully wearing a pair of jeans low on his hips and invited the FBI agent in with a smile and warm welcome. Inside, Jethro was poking at the fire that was warming the home nicely. Spring was approaching quickly but the days were still cool and the nights even cooler.

"I brought dinner," Fornell offered, moments before his eyes landed on the pizza boxes on the end table.

"Punjab Express?" Jethro asked, getting a look at the logo on the takeout bag. "Tobias, we _hate _that place. You know that."

"I had another two for coupon," Fornell replied defensively.

"You're not saving any money if we never end up eating the food," Jethro pointed out. "You're actually spending more money."

"You're right," Fornell said, shaking his head. "I don't know why I keep doing this."

"I do," Jethro said.

Fornell perked up waiting for his answer.

"Diane loved that crap," Jethro said, his somewhat stern expression breaking into an understanding smirk.

"Yeah, she did," Fornell said. "The woman had bad taste but…" He let his sentence trail off, not wanting the mood to turn too somber.

"She had bad taste in men too," Jethro joked and the two shared a laugh that Tony didn't dare join in on. "You want some pizza?"

"Yes, please," Fornell said. "I may have failed on the dinner front but I have, what I hope, is some good news for you guys."

"Ohio State's gonna be named the champions of March Madness this year?" Tony guessed.

Fornell smiled over at the man in amusement. "Even better," he answered. "Kaiser's dead."

"Dead?" Tony asked, in shock.

"How?" Gibbs asked, also surprised by the news.

"Apparently they served PB &amp; J in the chow line yesterday," Fornell answered. "Kaiser snuck one back to his cell and ate it. He's severely allergic to peanuts. He was dead before the medics ever made it to him."

Jethro and Tony looked at each other, trying to process the surprising news. Were they happy they no longer had to look over their shoulders and worry about their team? Were they upset their adversary got off easy? Neither were sure how to feel.

"He left a note," Fornell continued. "Has your name on it, Jethro, but you'll have to forgive me. I already read it." He handed over a plastic evidence bag with the note in it. On one side of the paper it said 'check' and had a hand drawn picture of a king piece from a chess game and on the other was a brief handwritten note.

_Congrats, Agent Gibbs. You won. Good game._

_Until next time,_

_Braydon K._

"Until next time?" Tony asked skeptically.

"His final move," Jethro explained. "His trial date's coming up quick and he knew there was no way he was getting off so he took himself out of the game, but he couldn't resist one more comment; trying to plant fear in the back of our minds even after he's long dead."

"It's not gonna work," Tony said. "He's gone. We're free!"

"I thought that'd make you guys happy," Fornell said. "I was gonna call you earlier when I heard the news but I wanted to see the looks on your faces."

"This calls for a celebratory beer with our pizza," Jethro called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the kitchen. He returned with three longneck bottles in one hand and popped the caps off each of them before passing them out.

"To getting another bad guy off the streets," Fornell said, holding his bottle out.

"To safety and security," Tony added.

"To getting our lives back," Jethro finished off before they all clinked bottles and took a drink.

* * *

"How are things between you and Gibbs?" Abby asked.

"Amazing," Tony answered with a dreamy look in his eyes. "I've never had so much sex in my life, Abs, and you know that's saying something coming from me but even more than that, he's my partner in everything. I'm not by myself anymore. I have someone who's always gonna be on my side and I can't even tell you how comforting that is. I sound like such a girl and I don't even care."

"There's nothing wrong with being in touch with your emotions," Abby insisted. "Now, tell me more about all the sex you're having. What's Gibbs like in bed? Is he a top? Does he ever let you top? What does he taste like? What does he feel like? Does he wake you up with Jethro Junior every morning?"

"Whoa, slow down, Abs," Tony said.

"You're not gonna answer any of my questions, are you?"

"On the contrary. I'm gonna answer all your questions with a single statement," Tony replied with a grin. "I'm pretty sure this thing between Gibbs and I is the real deal. He gives me everything I need and more and he says I complete him in a way no one has since Shannon. It's a relationship like I've never experienced before and it's the best high ever."

"He brought up Shannon?" Abby asked in amazed awe.

Tony bit his lip and nodded frantically.

Abby's pout over lack of information turned into a genuine smile at her friend's happiness over the genuine love he was experiencing. "This is big," she said. "Like _huge_ big." She paused and the smile on her face grew even bigger. "Just remember, I'm oddly talented at wedding planning."

"Thanks, Abs, but we're not in any rush. We're just taking things one day at a time."

"Uh-huh," Abby groaned cheekily. "That's what they all say," she paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "right before the wedding bells start ringing."

Tony winked at Abby, turned and headed for the door, humming the traditional Bridal Chorus as he went.

**The End**


End file.
